Red Strings
by Blu3b3rryT3a
Summary: There are many Dungeon Capturers in the world, but none have traveled as far as the 'Goddess of War', Ilona of the Kouga clan. She vanished after conquering a dungeon (no thanks to Sinbad) and wound up in a strange land. This is her story of how she flipped another world upside down- and the consequences of it.
1. The Beginning

**So, first off, I do not own Magi or Naruto. I do own my OC(s) and plot twists! Please review and comment because I like reading what you all write/think! Also, shout out to Katsura369 and their fanfics Through the Spy Glass and Through the looking glass (second one is chronologically first) which originally inspired this fanfic. I will be switching between past and present (beginning of Naruto Shippuden) each chapter. And my one hint, there will be a pairing but it's NOT Sinbad.**

**Now, **_**on with the show!**_

_The Past…_

"Finally."

A young brunette with an old hair pin, tan skin and purple eyes stands in front of a doorway, her sword in hand. On her face she has two long scars running down over her right eye and an eyebrow piercing on the left side. Gold hoops decorate her ears, a golden torc around her neck, and a pair of steel arm-braces around her forearms. Her clothes are worn, suitable for a desert climate and splattered with drying specks of blood. Calmly she presses a spherical blood-red gem the nearly the size of her head into the corresponding slot in the door.

An eight-sided star within a circle glows brightly before the doors give way before her. She enters without hesitation, entering a room filled with dusty artifacts. Her gaze flickers over the room before settling on the lone clean object: a mirror.

"Curious choice…" She murmurs, approaching it.

Gently, she touches the surface- magic sparks and an explosion of smoke billows out, solidifying as a giant blue woman with blond hair bound back in intricate braids. Jewelry adorns her neck and wrists while her chest is left bare. The djinn examines the human before her in turn before smiling.

"I am the Djinn of Renewal and Fellowship of the thirty-sixth dungeon, Gaia! So you are to be my king?"

The young woman nods firmly, keeping her gaze steady on Gaia. Gaia smirks, liking the fire in her eyes.

"Very well, I have no objections, despite your possession of one of my brethren. From this day forth, my powers are yours to command; what is your name, my king?"

The young woman opens her mouth to introduce herself only to be interrupted.

"Ilona! You beat us here?!"

She stiffens before turning her head to see one of her least favorite people: Sinbad. He smiles winsomely at her- internally she retches before choosing to disregard him. Gaia frowns at him.

"I hope you are not here to contest my king's claim: I have already chosen Lady Ilona as my king." The djinn informs him, folding her arms.

Sinbad blinks, momentarily stunned, but laughs it off.

"Is that so? Bad luck for us, I suppose! Congratulations on clearing the dungeon, Ilona-chan!"

"Please do not address me so informally." Ilona states, her voice cold.

Sinbad tilts his head, confused.

"Eh? What's wrong, Ilona-chan?"

She walks away from him, determined to not react to his antics. Gaia frowns at Sinbad's continued advances while Ja'far, Masrur and Mystros sweat drop as their king harasses one of the few woman capable of murdering him.

"Does he not understand how dangerous she is?!" Ja'far hisses, his muscles trembling with tension.

"Airhead of the Seven Seas." Masrur mutters, crossing his arms.

"Sinbad always chases after women though-" Mystros points out.

"That's not the point! Ilona-san clearly doesn't want his attentions and yet he continues to aggravate her! She's already nearly killed him twice for molesting her person!" Ja'far snaps.

Masrur nods, watching Ilona steadfastly ignore Sinbad's attempts at conversation. Mystros winces, remembering the last time Sinbad had tried to charm her- by stealing a kiss. None of them had been fast enough to prevent Sinbad's jaw from breaking or the vicious blow to the family jewels. They** had** managed to stop her from decapitating him. But Sinbad, being an opportunist, is still trying to woo her onto his side. An impossibility, based on what Ja'far, Masrur and Mystros knew of her.

"Sin's an idiot if he thinks he can convince her to join him," Mystros remarks.

The trio sweat drop and nod as Ilona steadfastly ignores Sinbad's advances, focusing instead on her new djinn.

"Gaia, I would like to leave the dungeon now." She says bluntly.

Gaia nods, eyeing Sinbad disapprovingly.

"Take of my treasures what you will, my king- **not you!"** She snaps at Sinbad when he reaches for an oil lamp.

He conceals a wince and stares imploringly up at Gaia.

"Oh, but we worked so hard to come and see **you**, great Djinn! Surely we might have a small token as a memento of our meeting?" He wheedles.

Gaia's glare darkens.

"No, you may **not!** You are not my king and only **my** king has the right to any of my treasures!" She snaps.

Ilona, thankful Gaia had distracted Sinbad, pulls open a small bag tied to her belt and starts shoveling treasure inside it. In fact, she shoves more treasure inside it than the tiny bag should have the capacity for. Ja'far's eyes bulge as they watch the bag continue to hold an impossible amount of treasure and Ilona steadily packs it all away. Sinbad turns away from Gaia to appeal to Ilona when he finally sees what she is doing.

"Ilona-chan! What's that bag?" He demands, his eyes sparkling.

Ilona stays silent, intent on finishing packing away her treasure- talking to Sinbad never leads to anything good in her experience. Sinbad pouts as Ilona continues her mute impression.

"Ne, ne, ne, Ilona-_sama_! What's that bag? Is it a magical tool? I would love to purchase it from you~!" He cajoles her.

"No." She cuts him off.

Sinbad's golden eyes bore into her violet ones- Ilona's resolve does not waver. If anything, it grows stronger against his pleading stare, her expression becoming cold and unwelcoming.

"You have **nothing **I want. So save your breath, Womanizer of the Seven Seas." Ilona informs him, drawing the purse-strings firmly shut and stashes the pouch safely inside her clothes.

Sinbad is frozen by her rejection as Ilona stands before Gaia once more. Gaia smiles approvingly at Ilona.

"It is good to see my king is not one easily swayed by others- if I might make a suggestion? This mirror is also a powerful magic tool left by a previous magi; it could be very useful to you!" She gestures at the mirror from which she had been summoned.

Sinbad unfreezes, his eyes landing on the mirror and then a calculating expression crosses his face. Ja'far stiffens at his expression then tries to intercept Sinbad, who avoids him easily. Ilona realizes too late what Sinbad intends to do and springs forward, attempting to head him off.

"Sinbad, DON'T!" Masrur, Mystros and Ja'far all yell at the same time.

Sinbad smirks and snatches up the mirror, opening his mouth to tease Ilona when she slams into him. They both fall, the mirror flying out of his grip. Ilona looks up, scrambles to her feet and rushes to catch it-! Only for Sinbad to tumble into her, knocking Ilona off her feet: the mirror explodes right in front of her face and a _pulse_ ripples through the dungeon.

Gaia's eyes widen and she swipes her arm, casting a return spell for Sinbad and his party before racing to enter one of Ilona's metal vessels. A vortex manifests in the broken mirror's frame, sucking Ilona inside.

"Ilona! Take my hand!" Sinbad yells, trying to reach her.

Ilona stares at his hand, considering it- but a chilling premonition stays her hand. _He will not release me if I take his hand- and I will owe him more than treasure. He would try to OWN me and consequently the power I possess for his own benefit. The shackles are invisible, but they still exist._ It takes her half a second to consider her options and decide to refuse Sinbad's 'help'.

_I would rather trust Fate than HIM._

Ilona spares an accusing glare at Sinbad as more of her body enters the vortex, who is frozen in shock on the floor. Gaia barely makes it, quickly taking residence in one of Ilona's necklaces before Ilona blinks out of existence. The mirror frame is also sucked within the vortex, erasing all traces of Ilona of the Kouga clan.

Sinbad, Mystros, Masrur and Ja'far are all teleported into a giant crater where the dungeon used to be. Numb, Sinbad sinks to his knees, staring at his hand.

"Sin…" Ja'far whispers, unsure how to proceed.

"… Why didn't she take my hand?" He whispers.

"…" None of his followers have an answer for him.

**Meanwhile…**

Madara frowns as more kunai shower down upon him, scoffing at the weak attack.

"Pathetic!" He growls to himself, barely shifting to dodge them.

Nearby, Izuna is engaging Tobirama in a fast-paced clash of blades, twisting and swiping harshly. The sun glints off the metal while they close again- Izuna uses his Sharingan to briefly throw Tobirama off guard. Tobirama quickly flies himself to one of his seals, panting from the effort. Hashirama glances at him worriedly and quickly finishes his hand seals, creating a vast forest of cavorting wood.

Clansmen from both sides struggle to adapt to the sudden change in the battlefield while Madara's eyes glint. He steps forward, his hands rising to make his own hand seals when a _pulse_ catches his attention. His eyes turn scarlet as he activates the Sharingan, searching for the disturbance. Hashirama, Izuna and Tobirama all notice it as well, pausing their next moves as they try to identify the strange sensation.

The chakra in the air and earth vibrates, reacting to _something_. Abruptly the vibrations stop and a black speck appears in the sky above them. Madara frowns, trying to pick out details of the abnormality when it grows larger and something bursts out of it. A humanoid figure tumbles through the air, plummeting towards the ground.

The figure suddenly twists and starts to chant something in a bizarre language none of them recognize.

_**{"Spirit of Memory and Defiance, dwell within my frame, transform my body and grant me the power to write my own Fate! METIS!"}**_

A golden glow blazes off them and a whirl wind abruptly wraps around them. Izuna's jaw drops while Madara barely hangs onto his composure.

_They didn't use hand signs! What kind of jutsu was that?!_ They think in tandem.

Hashirama is faring slightly better, being oblivious to the lack of hand signs, but Tobirama is in the same boat as Izuna. All four shinobi are significantly perturbed and wary- more so when the whirlwind dissipates and unveils the figure. By now they all have a better view of her, and it definitely is a HER, since she was hovering barely forty feet above them.

Her appearance changed dramatically: tattoos wind around her bare stomach and shoulders while her breasts are barely covered by two crisscrossing scarves. Around her hips there is another, longer, scarf-skirt thing that flutters around her legs and does nothing to cover them. Bronze jeweled bracers protect her shins and azure feathers grew on both sides of her calves.

Her hands also changed to clawed talons of some great beast and further up on her biceps there are bronze armbands with long trailing strings decorating them. Around her throat there is a collar-like piece protecting her neck. Her storm-grey hair flutters around her, thick bunches of it bound at the ends with golden rings decorated with yet more finery. On either side of her head are two tuffs of feathers, azure like the ones on her legs, twitching like ears.

But it was her face that arrested their attention: regal, composed and yet still feminine. A pair of parallel scars crosses her right eye, pointing to some violence in her past. A third eye sits squarely in the middle of her forehead, clearly visible. Purple eyes bore down at them, seemingly unbothered by the large number of shinobi now gawking at her. She quirks an eyebrow and floats down until she hovers a bare ten feet above the ground.

{"Can you understand me?"} She demands, one hand propped on her hip.

The Uchiha and Senju stir, glancing at each other uneasily then her. Madara steps forward, drawing her attention.

"Who are you? What are your intentions?" He states, watching her face closely.

A flicker of surprise crosses her face before she schools her expression. She eyes him curiously then the rest of the shinobi around her, seemingly searching for something. Whatever it is, she doesn't seem to find it. She turns her attention back to Madara and seems to come to a decision. The stranger extends her hands upright and speaks again.

{**"Alekshef an al-zakriat!"**}

A strange symbol, two squares forming an eight-pointed star within a circle appears beneath her feet. The strings on her armbands stir and change to a silvery color as they extend. The shinobi panic, sure it is some sort of attack!

Madara's hands flash through hand signs and he breathes a massive fireball at her to defend his clansmen. Tobirama flickers back to Hashirama's side, readying a water jutsu in case Madara fails. Izuna retreats to Madara's side, much like Tobirama, ready to support his older brother. The woman sees the fireball and her expression becomes annoyed.

{**"Jaal al-modhawaa!"**} Her voice rings out clearly.

She flicks her hand at the jutsu and the threads on that arm whip around the fireball, compressing around it and _containing it_. As it collapses, Madara and the other Uchiha can see the jutsu being spun and compressed into a long crimson thread. It flies and hovers around her form, similar to how her garments twine around her body.

Hashirama's jaw drops and his eyes sparkle at her strange jutsu! Tobirama doesn't share his sentiments, firing off his water-slicer jutsu in hopes of cutting her in half. She barely glances at him and flicks her hand at Tobirama: the water is gathered out of its' original shape and twisted into a blue thread, joining the crimson one. She sighs, _loudly_, before glaring at all the shinobi around her.

{"Are you done?"}

Her glare makes more than a few uncomfortable- she is clearly disappointed in them. If the situation wasn't so serious, Hashirama would have burst out laughing at their expressions. As it was, he tenses as she brings the two colored threads near her face and pulls them taunt between her fingers, examining them closely. Madara twitches as she blatantly ignores him (although she was also ignoring the Senju, which slightly eased the sting) and makes to attack only for Izuna to stop him.

He glares at his little brother, ready to demand what he is thinking-! Only for Izuna to nods towards the woman meaningfully.

"We don't know what she wants," He reminds Madara.

Madara glares, his eyes flashing red.

"I don't care! She's a threat! You saw what she did to my fireball jutsu and that idiot Senju's water jutsu!" He argues back.

Izuna sweat drops.

"But she hasn't attacked us or the Senju- she's clearly a foreigner, based on her language alone!" Izuna reasons.

Madara frowns, unable to refute Izuna on that point. Nearby, Hashirama and Tobirama are having a similar discussion- though the roles are reversed.

"Why did you attack her? She hasn't done anything to us!" Hashirama lectures his younger brother.

Tobirama frowns and crosses his arms.

"I wanted to make certain she didn't become a threat to us!" He snaps, fed up with Hashirama's naivety.

Hashirama merely gives Tobirama a disappointed pout. Tobirama huffs, refusing to glance at him and refocuses on the stranger. His eyebrows shoot up as she releases the threads and glances around at them all, cocking her head.

"Cha-kra?"

They all tense in surprise and she frowns. She points to the colored threads, then at them.

"Cha-kra?" She questions again.

Hashirama can't contain himself and leaps over to her- she tilts her head, examining him. He grins bashfully at her and waves. Madara rolls his eyes at Hashirama's antics. The woman hesitantly inclines her head and then points again to the threads.

"Cha-kra?"

Hashirama shakes his head and points to the threads.

"Jutsu!"

She blinks and carefully repeats the word.

"Jut-zu."

Hashirama nods and focuses, letting chakra glow visibly around his body. Her eyes widen in surprise and she floats closer. She gestures to his body.

"Cha-kra?"

This time Hashirama nods then he creates a small tree with a set of hand signs. He gestures to it.

"Jutsu. Chakra in jutsu!"

Her eyes light up in understanding and she hovers around the tree, clearly considering what she had learned. Madara can't contain himself and marches over to them- Izuna and Tobirama tense up. Hashirama watches him warily as Madara glares at the floating woman.

"Who are you?" He demands, glowering.

Her expression hardens at his tone and she tilts her head, eyeing his posture. She evidently doesn't like what she sees and proceeds to shoot back into the sky with no warning. Madara's jaw drops at her blatant rudeness.

"Oi! Get down here!" He roars, fired up.

Izuna has to restrain him, smiling apologetically at her. She folds her arms, clearly not impressed. Hashirama glances between her and Madara before hitting on an idea. He points to Madara.

"Madara!" He says clearly then points to himself.

"Hashirama!" Then he points at her expectantly.

Madara blinks then realizes where Hashirama is going with this. The woman seems surprised then thoughtful. She points to Madara and then Hashirama in turn.

"Madara. Hashi-rama." Hashirama nods excitedly then points at her.

She frowns then sighs before gesturing to herself.

"Ilona."

Hashirama beams.

"Ilona, huh? Hello, Ilona!"

Tobirama makes a note of her name, red eyes sharp- and he is not the only one. Izuna and Madara also make a note, for once grateful for Hashirama's open nature. Hashirama gestures for her to descend, sitting down on the dirt. She clearly considers it before shaking her head. Hashirama pouts, a depressed cloud forming over his head.

"Ilona won't come down and talk to me, am I that awful of a person?" He mumbles, drawing squiggles in the dirt.

Everyone sweat drops.

"Stop being depressed, idiot!" Madara explodes, kicking Hashirama in the ass.

Hashirama drags himself off his face and pouts again.

"Aww, Madara, why'd you go and kick me..? Though I suppose that's all someone like me is worth-!" He is abruptly interrupted by a flick to the forehead.

He blinks then realized he is staring right into Ilona's stern violet eyes. Everyone gapes at her as she sighs and sets her feet on the ground, planting her hands on her hips.

{"Stop that. Whining doesn't help with _anything._"}

While none of them understand her, they can all tell she is lecturing Hashirama, who is gob smacked. Then his expression becomes joyful as he springs onto his feet and makes to hug her.

"Ilona! You came down!"

Ilona holds out a palm, halting his advance. Hashirama pouts but stays put, guessing she is not ready for physical contact. She pushes her hair out of her face then grumbles to herself.

{"This will be a pain if I _don't _do it. Ugh."}

She thrusts her hand out and focuses.

{**"Karaa al-modhawaa!"**}

The same star symbol appears again, but includes Hashirama and Madara this time much to their concern. All her threads, including the colored ones, seem to unravel into thinner fragments before reaching out to touch Hashirama and Madara. Both men tense, ready to fight but pause when she looks at them and bows slightly. Hashirama glances between her and the threads before touching them himself. Madara waits, willing to let Hashirama be his guinea pig.

The threads between Hashirama and Ilona vibrate for a few minutes then turn gold and fall away, suddenly much thicker. Hashirama blinks and sputters in surprise- but not in the tongue of Fire!

{"Ilona? What was that? Eh, wait, what is this?! This isn't permanent, is it?!"} He babbles, beginning to freak out.

Ilona shakes her head.

{"I taught you my language so I could be understood- focus and say what you wish to say in your mother tongue."}

Hashirama smacks a fist into his palm, understanding suddenly.

"Ah! That makes sense! But that felt very strange, Ilona!"

She gives him a pointed glare and Madara finally speaks up.

"Hashirama, what did she do to you?! You sounded just like her!"

Hashirama turns and grins at him.

"Madara, she taught me her language with her jutsu- although that's not the right word but its close enough for our purposes. Do you want to try? From the impression she gave, she has enough chakra to use it one more time!"

Madara considers it- long term, a relationship with Ilona could be useful. Decided, he nods to Ilona, who clearly understands body language. She gestures again and the threads wind around his wrist loosely, connecting them.

{**"Karaa al-modhawaa!"**}

And Madara suddenly feels a rush of- impressions, he decides is the best word since none of them are clear enough to be considered memories. Each flickers past before he could get a good look, but words in a very different language begin to build in his mind. Basic vocabulary first, then verbs and the grammatical structure. It's as if the impressions are wearing a spot in his mind, engraving meanings and syntax.

He feels a spark of relief when the threads, now golden, unravel and drop away. Madara glances up at her and notices a thin layer of sweat forming on her face. His eyes narrow in consideration- _perhaps he can use this._

{"Do you need to rest?"} He asks, trying not to scare her.

She stiffens then stands straight, completely composed- if he didn't know any better he would have thought she was completely fine! Ilona shakes her head.

{"No. Goodbye, Madara, Hashi-rama."}

Before either of them can stop her, Ilona shoots back into the sky and flies off, swiftly becoming a speck in the distance. The rival clan leaders and former friends stand awkwardly together, mutually dumbfounded by the foreigner.

"… We're leaving." Madara decides, surprising both clans.

Tobirama scowls, unhappy to be surprised by the Uchiha but let's them leave unhindered when Hashirama gives him a meaningful look. For the first time in many years, the two clans separate without bloodshed- and with no little confusion.

**And so the path, well-trodden by the incarnations of Indra and Ashura, is suddenly interrupted. Even when later generations fail to hear of this meeting, the impact the King's Candidate has on the world continues to influence them…**

Ilona pants as she dispels her Djinn Equip, desperately sucking in air. While she had been focusing more on making the two leaders understand her, Ilona had had a glimpse into their minds. Hashi-rama is an open, honest fool that cares deeply and despises war. Madara is very much the opposite, hot-tempered and calculating while thriving on the battlefield. But underneath both of their personalities is a strong drive to protect their loved ones and regret concerning one another.

She sighs, pushing her hair out of her face as she considers her options and then decides to interrogate the previous owner of the mirror.

'Gaia, what was that mirror?' She thinks, keeping any accusatory tone suppressed.

'_My king, that mirror allowed for teleportation to other lands- the Magi would use it to reach distant troubles swiftly. But when it shattered… I believe the mirror connected to another world.'_ Gaia replies.

'_I concur, my king.'_ A smooth woman's voice adds.

Ilona raises an eyebrow.

'Metis, what makes you say that?' She inquires, knowing Metis can be cagy when she wishes to be.

'_Our world has two languages- common and Toran. Those men- _shinobi_, spoke in a tongue that was neither. And have you noticed there is another energy in the world? This 'chakra' is not Rukh- I cannot even feel the flow of Rukh. Ergo, we are in a different world.'_

'Dammit Sinbad- of course you **had** to interferein my life again.' She curses him with a groan.

Her two djinn give murmurs of agreement, though Gaia is more enthusiastic in vocalizing her dislike for Sinbad. After allowing herself a small spat of self-pity, Ilona stands, brushing off her clothes of leaf litter.

'Sitting around and moaning won't fix anything- but at the very least I have this,'

Ilona glances at the mirror's frame in the palm of her hand: it is empty of glass but the frame itself is intact.

'_The mirror can be restored, my king, but we will need to search out the missing fragments.'_ Gaia warns her.

Ilona nods silently.

'I expected nothing less.'

**Two days later…**

Izuna is traveling to Sumisu village, a valuable ally who forges the Uchiha clan's weapons, after receiving a request of assistance. Madara was reluctant to send him, being a worry-wart, but time was against them. He had not won the battle of going without bodyguards, however. Izuna frowns at the memory of Madara's pronouncement.

"_You are __**not**__ going alone! If Sumisu is asking for help, then it's going to be at least a shinobi clan causing trouble! At the worst it's the damn Senju! So either you take Ginru and Nobi with you or you're staying put!"_

"Honestly, onii-san is too protective sometimes…" He groans.

Nobi snorts, trying to muffle it.

"You think?"

Izuna glowers at him while Ginru chuckles from his other side.

"Let's just get there, solve the problem and go home." Izuna grumbles.

His clansmen wisely say nothing, hiding their mirth as they race through the trees. Several hours later, near the end of their journey, they spot smoke. Izuna speeds up, inwardly knowing they are likely too late. They burst out of the trees into a clear-cut area: Sumisu village is built near a river they use for forging and fishing. It is running red with blood as shinobi fight the smiths.

Despite being primarily concerned with creating weapons, the weapon smiths of Sumisu are arguably amongst the best at wielding said weapons. Enough so there is nearly an equal number of shinobi dead mixed in with the villagers. Many buildings are on fire, likely from fire jutsus or explosion tags. The Uchiha clansmen charge together into the thick of the fighting, dispatching targets swiftly.

The rival shinobi quickly band together- Izuna recognizes them as the Isobe clan, a middling clan with a specialty in water jutsus and swords. The Uchiha exchange glances and target the leaders of the clan. The Isobe notice and fire off several water bullets, forcing the Uchiha to scatter or use substitution jutsu. Izuna clenches his jaw and throws kunai at them, injuring two. Next to him, Ginru is locked in a sword fight with another Isobe shinobi, trying to over-power each other.

Izuna doesn't know how long they fought- minutes, hours, days? All he can focus on is the next opponent and finishing them swiftly. His muscles start to burn as he parries blows and he uses the Uchiha's signature fireball jutsu to drive a mass of enemies back. The smiths, despite being tired, continue to press on the Isobe shinobi and support the Uchiha.

Izuna feels assured that the battle will end in their favor: there are only fifteen enemies still alive.

Then Nobi screams, gargling on his own blood: one of the enemy had cut his torso nearly in two from shoulder to hip. Izuna barely has a second to take in the brutality and with a sickening lurch in his gut knows the wound is fatal. Ginru sees and defeats his enemy to rush to Izuna's side.

"Izuna! We need to retreat!" He shouts, cutting down another shinobi.

Izuna glares at him as he cuts the throat of a shinobi sneaking up on him.

"What of the village?!" He snaps, blocking a barrage of shuriken.

"It can be rebuilt!" Ginru answers, slicing off a kunoichi's head.

Izuna hesitates, then nods.

"Retre-!" He starts to shout when an explosion goes off under his feet.

Izuna collapses, unconscious, as blood oozes from his injuries. Ginru jumps to his side and hoists him onto his shoulders, panic settling into his bones.

_Madara-sama will kill me!_

"Retreat!" He bellows, dodging the suddenly rabid Isobe.

Like predators, they sense weakness and swarm Ginru, eyes gleaming in anticipation. Ginru grits his teeth and dodges the blows, mindful of his passenger. He high-tails it for the trees, hoping for a better battlefield advantage but a flurry of shuriken cut off that route. With a snarl, Ginru glances around for a weak point he can take advantage of.

Surrounded on all sides, the Isobe circle him and smirk.

"Well, well, the Uchiha aren't all that after all!" One of them mocks.

Another laughs, drawing a katana.

"Can we play with this one?

Ginru glares, his Sharingan swirling as he mentally prepares himself for a death match.

…

Ilona watches the massacre silently, recognizing one of the men who arrived to the battlefield. She is slightly awed by the feats these 'shinobi' seem capable of. Similar to magicians and even Metal Vessel users with their bizarre magic- no, 'jutsus'.

'_My King, are we only observing?'_ Gaia asks her, breaking her revelry.

Ilona considers the djinn's question and her eyes flicker over to the burning village. Unbidden, a memory of burning tents, screaming women and sickening laughter as heavy chains are locked on her wrists comes to mind.

"…" She shakes her head, warding away the memories, and wraps her face with a worn shemagh.

'No. We will fight. But I will not use my Djinn Equip unless it is dire.' Ilona informs her djinns.

She draws her sword, a jian, and rushes onto the battlefield. Her footsteps are unheard as the intruding shinobi circle one of the few remaining men with the red eyes, laughing. Ilona strikes decisively, decapitating two of the shinobi in one blow and spinning to the next. The red-eyed man takes advantage, rushing for the opening she had created. The marauders leap forward to cut off his escape, throwing pointy knives at both of them.

Ilona easily deflects them- years of slicing arrows midflight in the Coliseum coming to her aid. The red-eyed shinobi is less fortunate, taking one in the calf but he succeeds at breaking free of the entrapment. Ilona guards his back, deflecting an eager marauder's knife before taking advantage of their frenzy to end them. Blood splatters her face but Ilona hardly blinks as she continues slaughtering the enemy.

'_My king, beware!'_ Metis yells.

Ilona leaps forward, avoiding the explosive ball of- water? Or is that blood? Deciding not to focus on that, Ilona ducks and severs two of the shinobi's legs off, toppling them. Nearby, she spots the red-eyed shinobi darting and weaving, carrying his clansman as if he is the single most precious thing in his life. She grimaces at the painful tug in her chest- _now is not the time to be jealous!_

Her blade dances, sweeping away all resistance as she covers the red-eyed shinobi's retreat into the woods. Purple eyes flicker back to the burning village, but she knows there is no saving it- the fire is devouring everything.

_So long as the people live, they can rebuild._ She reminds herself pragmatically.

_Home is not a building, it is where your loved ones are._

Ilona refocuses on the battle and her blood turns to ice. The red-eyed shinobi is swaying, four throwing knives in his back as he struggles to shield his burden even as he bleeds. Six enemies remain, all between her and the dying man. A spark of anger uncurls in her belly before chilling, clearing her thoughts and leaving her cold, cold, cold inside.

'They will not keep their lives.'

"Spirit of Memory and Defiance, Metis!" She whispers harshly, summoning her partial djinn equip.

Her arm changes to talons and golden scales with its feathers fluttering on her wrist. On her bicep is a beaten bronze armband with its' colorless strings.

'_My king! It is dangerous to reveal yourself!'_ Gaia exclaims.

Ilona ignores Gaia's fretting and focuses, extending the strings and ensnaring her prey. Thankfully they are too wrapped up in the red-eyed shinobi- a fatal mistake. Before they can escape she uses her power to rip away their memories.

"**Qata al-mwadia!"** She snarls, clenching her fist.

The shinobi scream in terror and anguish as she forcibly removes all traces of who they are, the threads binding them pulsing a deep purple. Grimly Ilona releases them, knowing they are no longer a threat. She glances at the threads she had woven and with an angry flick severs them- she does not want the memories of _scum_, no matter how useful. Dispassionately, Ilona kills the enemy- a mercy, honestly, as they lay listlessly on the ground unable to do anything.

New, colorless threads grow and wind around her body as she approaches the fallen warrior, her sword gleaming scarlet with blood. He is barely alive, his once bright red eyes fading into black. His eyes widen at the sight of her arm and he starts to struggle, saying something in his bizarre language. Ilona crouches beside him, knowing there is little she can do for him- the way blood is gushing freely telling her one of the big arteries was cut.

He seems to read her face- well, her eyes, and his expression grows resigned.

[I am a failure- I couldn't protect Izuna and now I am dying. How pathetic.] He says, seemingly to himself.

Ilona listens to his strange words and it occurs to her that perhaps there is one thing she can do for him. Slowly, she holds out her clawed hand and speaks her spell.

"**Tetlashi al-dhakra."** A single thread encircles his wrist and he gasps as his body numbs.

It pulses a deep red as it absorbs his body's current memory of pain, giving him some relief in his last moments.

…

Ginru doesn't know what the woman has done to him. His recollection is foggy but he can't forget the sudden switch from agony to numbness. If he were capable of it, Ginru would sweat at the woman's power. But Ginru knows his duty to his clan- if he cannot bring Izuna back safely, then he simply must coerce her into doing so. Her prowess in battle showed she was a veteran- honestly, it was impressive to see her slaying the Isobe with minimal effort without any justu.

_She can protect Izuna- and that is all that matters._

Grimly, he searches for her eyes and locks gazes with her- then he activates his genjutsu. The tomoe in his eyes spin frantically as he tries to implant a suggestion.

"Protect Izuna and return him safely to our clan!" He orders.

The woman's purple eyes widen then narrow, clearly furious. Ginru barely has time to process her expression before she grabs his hair and yanks him off the ground, dragging him upright. A second thread wraps around his wrist and it pulses.

**{"Karaa al-modhawaa!"}** She hisses and Ginru has to bite back a scream as _something_ invades his mind.

It feels like acid, a cold, _stinging_ acid that burns upon contact. Under the icy burns Ginru intuitively feels her anger towards him. Ruthlessly, she pries open memory after memory taking _words_ and images associated with them. It feels like an eternity as she rifles through his memories until it finally _stops_. Ginru has to bite back a sob as the angry presence inside his mind removes itself. She releases his hair and he falls flat on his face into the dirt. He reflexively closes his eyes to avoid the dust.

"I do not appreciate others trying to give me orders."

Ginru's eyes fly open in shock as she speaks perfect _Fire_. He hesitantly glances up at her- the woman's eyes are the only part of her face he can see, but Ginru cannot help but shiver at the steel in her gaze.

"Attempt your doujutsu again and I will remove your eyes. Am I clear?"

He nods feebly, feeling fainter by the moment.

"… You wish me to save Izuna. Why?" Her question catches him off guard.

"Madara… sama… needs him." He wheezes.

"We… need… him…"

There is silence for a long while as she stares at him, then Izuna.

"… I may not be able to keep him safe. This… _land_ is different than mine."

Ginru meets her questioning gaze desperately.

"Please..! Save… him!" He coughs, blood trickling out his mouth.

"…" She sighs, glancing over at Izuna.

Ginru barely breathes as he awaits her decision.

"… Fine." Ilona finally says.

Ginru smiles at her- and fails to take his next breathe. Ilona waits but his chest no longer moves; she checks his pulse to find it gone. She respectfully bows her head before destroying his eyes. It was the one measure she could take upon short notice to ensure his 'doujutsu' was not stolen. Then she hoists Izuna upon her shoulders and begins her journey.

**Please review and let me know what you think! I used google translate to create the spells/commands for Metis' skills. And before you ask, no, Ilona will not be shipped with Sinbad- she can't stand him ;)**

**Next chapter is in the present, so get ready for yet more shenangins!**


	2. The Present

**Hi y'all! I don't own Magi or Naruto, I do own my OCs and plot twists! Now, as promised, this chapter is skipping to the present, right before the second bell test. But we're starting in the Magi verse first. There are shenanigans afoot! Also, since I forgot to add this in last time- swearing/violence/gore and eventually romantic scenes will be common. You have been warned, but I will insert warnings when I think they're needed. **

**Now, **_**on with the show!**_

_The Present…_

Ilona sighs as she watches her people break down their camp and ready to leave. The sun is barely peeking over the horizon, signaling a new day on the Dark Continent. Idly, her violet eyes scan the various forms until she spots one in particular.

"Izuna! Hurry up and load up that tent!" Ilona barks, glaring at the Uchiha.

Groaning, he complies, hoisting it up and slinging it onto a camel before fastening it. The camel gives him a stink eye, which he returns before stretching and making his way back to Ilona.

The Uchiha had given up his typical dark colors after suffering a heat stroke years ago, compromising with dark reds and greys. Loose grey trousers paired with a cream tunic embroidered in crimson and a thick leather belt holding his katana make up his wardrobe, along with his trusty sandals.

"Do we have to do this **every** morning?" He complains with a pout.

Ilona snorts, observing everyone else's progress before glancing at him.

"You know the answer to that, so why ask?"

He rolls his eyes as together they watch the people they had grown to protect form a column of camels and horses.

"It'll be nice to get back to Taihōgakure," Izuna murmurs.

Ilona huffs silently in agreement before suddenly grunting. A teenager with long spiky brown hair braided down her back and black eyes looks up at her with a teasing grin. Like most of the others in the caravan, her clothes are light-weight and in pale colors, in this case a deep green paired with a cream tunic with copper designs. Across her back is a sword similar to Ilona's with a red tassel on the end of the hilt.

"Morning Mom! Morning Izuna-oji!"

"Good morning Xia- where are your siblings and cousins?" Ilona demands, eyeing her daughter.

Xia grins and places both her hands behind her head.

"Keiichi and Samar are helping Mei and Sango with the little monsters. Aunt Ayo'yo is leading the caravan, where you're supposed to be." She reminds her with a frown.

Ilona smirks and pokes her right where the frown is creasing her forehead. Xia yelps, covering the stinging spot.

"Mom!" She complains as Ilona strides to her place at the head of the caravan, grinning.

Izuna chuckles and his eyes soften when they land on Xia.

"You're worried about her, aren't you?" He asks, watching her.

Xia blinks before her face turns pink.

"N-no! Why would you say that?!" She yelps, glaring at him.

Izuna snorts as he starts to walk in the direction Xia indicated. As he passes by, members of the caravan nod to him or wave as they begin their march deeper into the Dark Continent. Eventually, he reaches the lone tent still standing- it is large enough to hold perhaps twenty people. Izuna pushes the tent open and is assaulted by screams and accusations and wails. He winces as he takes in the scene: Xia's siblings, Samar and Keiichi, are struggling to help their younger cousins get dressed and ready to leave.

Their oldest cousin, Mei, along with her sister Sango, are dragging two of their younger siblings to be dressed when Mei spots him.

"Father- _help._" Mei implores.

Izuna can't help but laugh as he looks around at his children, all ten of them suddenly pause and stare at him. Each of them have their mother's deep red hair but his dark eyes- Izuna likes to think they inherited their fierceness from both parents. Izuna claps his hands and sternly glares at all of his misbehaving children.

"Yue, Kamau, Hotaru, Yunru, Kobe, Isi, Atsu and Renshu. Stop giving Mei, Sango and your cousins so much trouble- we have a long way to go today, so stop misbehaving or I'll have your mother increase your training."

All the siblings gulp and abruptly hurry to drag on their clothes. Mei sighs with relief while Sango continues to assist Yue and Atsu. Izuna feels a familiar presence next to him and glances at his nephew.

"Was it **that** troublesome, Keiichi?" He asks, laughter in his voice.

Keiichi glares at him and huffs in annoyance.

"Hn, you damn well know it was." He retorts, rubbing his forehead to ease a headache.

Ilona's sole son is tall, nearly Izuna's height with messy dark brown hair tied back into a low ponytail and dark purple eyes. His clothing are muted browns and greys, nothing fancy, paired with shinobi sandals. Tucked into his belt is a length of twisted wood wrapped around a copper core- something he had found as a child.

Izuna chuckles as he goes to help pack away the spare clothing. Keiichi sneaks out while he can, clearly done with helping his cousins. Samar sighs when she realizes her brother had snuck out but doesn't say anything, folding and packing away sleeping mats.

Of her siblings, Samar in the only one with pure black hair, usually worn partially bound in a bun and the rest hanging free down to her hips. Samar wears a light purple and cream dress along with a jeweled bracelets.

Her violet eyes flicker over to Izuna and her mouth quirks into a smile as she greets him.

"Good morning, Izuna-oji-san. We will be ready to leave soon- all the bags are packed we just need to deconstruct the tent."

Izuna nods and then his eyes twinkle. He makes a hand sign and three Shadow clones pop into existence.

"Take down the tent." He orders them, to which all three nod and race out.

"Alright everyone!" Samar calls, clapping her hands to get her cousins' attention.

"Izuna-oji-san is going to take down the tent so make your way outside with your packs! No pushing, Isi, Atsu and Kobe!"

After a chorus of 'Fine' and 'Hai' everyone exits the tent and races to catch up to the caravan while Izuna takes down the tent with Samar's help.

"Mother said you used to be awful at setting up tents." Samar remarks, watching him tie it into a tight bundle.

Izuna groans, pouting, as he dispels the shadow clones.

"Eighteen years and she's still not letting that go! It's not like it was common knowledge in my homeland!"

Samar giggles, covering her mouth politely with her hand, eyes twinkling brightly. Izuna's mouth twitches into a tiny grin of his own before hoisting the tent up onto his back. Samar falls in step with him, content to enjoy the silence before returning to the controlled chaos of the caravan.

Soon enough, they find their place at the head of the caravan with the rest of their family. Xia waves at them from atop a camel, Kamau reading behind her. Keiichi sits atop a mule, Yue and Atsu sitting in front of him as they follow Ilona's horse. Running or walking apace with the Xia and Keiichi's mounts are the rest of Izuna's children, corralled by Mei, Sango and Sango's twin brother Renshu. Izuna has to smile at the cheerful smiles and bantering amongst the cousins.

_I'm glad they never had to fight in a war like Madara and I did…_ He thinks before he spots a fast approaching figure.

A female Fanalis with a partially shaved head darts over to them, her long hair flying behind her as she skids to a stop next to Izuna and Samar. As she halts her hair flops back down over her right eye, the sun gleaming off her golden armor and labret. Samar waves in greeting.

"Good morning Ayo'yo-oba-san! Did you see anything important?"

Ayo'yo shakes her head, a small smile on her face.

"No."

Samar nods and discretely gives Izuna and Ayo'yo space, moving to help Mei with Isi. Ayo'yo tilts her head at Izuna, watching him with her crimson eyes. Izuna moves closer and takes hold of her hand, tugging her forward into a kiss. They part after a moment and Izuna grins at Ayo'yo.

"Good morning, Ayo'yo."

Ayo'yo rolls her eyes before grabbing the back of his head and yanking him into another kiss.

"Morning, Izuna." She tells him when they pull back again.

Ayo'yo takes possession of his hand and tugs him gently along, reaching their children. Mei and Sango grin as Ayo'yo swiftly disciplines Yunru, Kobe, Hotaru and Isi for troubling their older siblings. Izuna rubs the heads of their misbehaving children as he quietly scolds them.

…

At midday, Ilona calls a halt and everyone pulls out provisions and water flasks, settling down for the meal. Ilona, her children, Ayo'yo, Izuna and their children sit in one large communal group, exchanging food and teasing one another.

"Mom, how much farther are we going?" Xia demands, her eyes sparkling in anticipation.

All the children's attention snap to Ilona, who smiles dryly at Xia.

"I'm surprised it took you so long to ask," She teases her daughter, taking a bite out of a plump fruit.

Xia frowns as Keiichi and most of her cousins snicker. Samar pats her arm, calming her. Xia nods in thanks before glaring at her mother.

"Mom, we've been on the road for almost a month! Where are we going?!" She exclaims, throwing her arms in the air.

Ilona, Izuna and Ayo'yo exchange glances before Ilona grins.

"I would have thought you older kids would remember this route- we are heading back to our home village."

Keiichi, Samar, Xia, Mei, Sango and Renshu's eyes bulge in shock.

"Taihōgakure?!" They all shout in amazement.

Ilona nods.

"Yes. We're about a day's travel from it- the other half of our clan is already there, making sure no bandits came to stay while we were traveling."

Mei's face brightens as the pieces connect together.

"So that's why Uncle Awola and Aunt Tae are not here; they're protecting the others." She concludes.

Izuna and Ayo'yo bestow Mei with nods of approval.

"Correct." Ilona confirms, smiling warmly.

"You all know the reason we rarely visit other countries- nearly everyone in our clan is a prized target for slavers. Kouga, Fanalis or Torran- all fetch a high price on the slavers' market. That's why, when we do need supplies we cannot provide ourselves, we go to other Torran villages and we go together. Admittedly, we could send smaller groups- but what's the fun in that?" She says lightly, causing the younger cousins to cheer.

Keiichi and Samar exchange glances, guessing the real reason.

_Mom is not taking chances- even with three Dungeon Capturers, Uncle Izuna, Aunt Ayo'yo and __**her **__siblings, Mom knows that there is still a risk of losing someone. Bigger groups are harder to attack and if slavers do come in large enough numbers, we can wipe them out and earn some peace for ourselves in the interim. Not mention it lets her check in on the Torrans who are living in our territory and simultaneously reminds them we are still here…_

Sango laughs, stretching.

"I can't wait to be back in my own bedroom! No more Isi and Yue kicking me in my sleep!" She declares, while Isi and Yue glare at her.

"We do not!" They yell, pouting.

"Yes you do," Kamau and Atsu chime in.

"Huh?! You wanna go?!" Isi bellows, leaping to her feet.

Kamau snorts and shakes his head while Atsu grins at her challengingly. Xia slams a hand down, abruptly silencing the group.

"Knock it off! We're all getting antsy, so focus on getting home first **then** beat the crap out of each other! Got it?!" Xia demands.

"Hai!" Isi, Yunru, Hotaru, Yue and Atsu reply, grinning bashfully.

Heiichi, Samar, Sango, Renshu, Kamau and Mei all shake their heads at their respective siblings' antics. Ilona smiles ruefully while Izuna contains a snicker and Ayo'yo silently keeps eating all the food. Soon enough the meal is over and they are on their way once more.

…

"No matter how many times I see it, it's still stunning." Keiichi murmurs.

Xia and Samar nod in agreement as they stare upon the Great Rift. Ilona, many years ago, had decided to build her home into the side of the massive ravine as well as the top of the cliff. Peppering the cliff-face are well-hidden but sturdy walkways and stairs leading to dwelling places. On the top of the cliff, surrounding the entrances into Taihōgakure's lower levels, is a wall. Made of native stone, it provides a place to contain their pack animals and the dwellings of those that don't want to sleep underground.

As they reach the gates, two Fanalis atop the wall wave and bellow orders, leading to the massive doors being pushed open. The caravan swiftly passes through the opening in an orderly fashion: Izuna and Ayo'yo leading with Xia while Ilona, Samar and Keiichi protect the rear. Once everyone is in Ilona sighs and practically everyone can see the stress fall off her shoulders as she stands the home she built.

Samar smiles, knowing that this is as close as Ilona would allow them to see her worry. Happily, the caravan disperses back to their homes, ready to enjoy the comforts of home. Keiichi, Xia and Samar all descend the stairs that lead to their rooms- Keiichi's has a balcony facing the Great Rift while Samar and Xia's are deeper within. By mutual agreement, they all congregate in Keiichi's room- along with an object that Xia had swiped moments before.

"You realize that this is a **bad** idea, right?" Samar points out.

Xia rolls her eyes.

"Not _my _fault if Mom doesn't keep it locked away properly!"

"Will you two pipe down? The last thing we need is Mom finding us with her **mirror**." Keiichi cuts them off, glowering.

Both sisters glare at him but listen, watching avidly as he examines it: all of them had heard the story of how Sinbad had destroyed the mirror and sent their mother flying into another world. But to _see_ the mirror that had caused Ilona's strange adventures gave the fantastical story a certain **weight**.

A simplistic design, the round mirror is the size of a coconut with a beaten gold frame. The reflective glass is dark, not showing reflections of anything in the room and spider webbed with cracks. In the very center of the frame is an empty space for three shards to fit neatly, completing it.

All of them can feel the Rukh buzzing around it and the faintest pulse of… something. Keiichi frowns, stretching his senses then his eyes widen in surprise. From the empty space, he can sense chakra- something he had only sensed in his sisters, Izuna and his cousins aside from himself. He glances up at his sisters.

"There's chakra coming from the empty space in the mirror."

Samar gasps while Xia tilts her head, frowning in confusion.

"Wow, that's weird! Wait! Do you think it's chakra from _there?!_" Xia asks excitedly.

Keiichi purses his lips, considering it.

"It's **possible**\- but why wouldn't Izuna-oji notice it? He should have picked up on it _years_ ago." He points out.

"… Izuna-oji-san isn't a sensor type- he said that himself." Samar interjects slowly, thinking it through.

"You, Keiichi, are a sensor type in addition to being a magician- you can sense chakra and Rukh to a degree even Xia and I cannot match."

Xia nods, folding her arms.

"That makes sense- so, what do we do about it?" She questions, pointing at the mirror.

"…" All three frown, considering it.

"… What if we put chakra into it?" Samar eventually offers.

Xia and Keiichi raise their eyebrows at her. She blushes before making herself go on.

"It might resonate and maybe- maybe it can take us to Otuo-san."

Keiichi and Xia exchange glances then look at Samar. Xia speaks first.

"… It's worth a shot. I know _we _never knew him, but Mom and Izuna-oji both miss him. So I say aye."

Samar brightens and mouths 'thank you' to her sister, to which Xia smirks then they both look at Keiichi, waiting for his vote. He frowns, glaring at the mirror as if it will give up all its' secrets if he tries hard enough. Finally he meets their eager eyes and groans, rubbing his head in exasperation.

"Fine- but if I say bail, we bail, understood?"

His sisters nod in unison and Keiichi tries to ignore the little voice at the back of his mind that says not to try this unsupervised.

"Touch the mirror and when I say so, channel a small part of your chakra into the empty space." He instructs them.

Samar and Xia reach out, touching the mirror's surface with their index fingers- Keiichi follows suit and holds his free hand in the sign of confrontation. The other two mimic him and he breathes out, steadying himself before nodding.

"Begin."

…

_In the Hokage's office…_

Tsunade glares at the scroll laying in front of her, silently cursing her great-uncle Tobirama for his secrecy.

"Uuuuugh. I hate fuinjutsu!" She groans, rubbing her forehead in aggravation.

Tsunade glances at the notes of what she had managed to decipher so far; _**Sealed within… King's… mirror... **__**Sensō no megami… Djinn…**_

Deciding that perhaps some alcohol would help ease her pounding headache, she sips some of her secret sake, eyeing the scroll.

_I should have Jiraiya take a look at this- maybe he will understand it better than I can!_ She decides, summoning one of her ANBU.

"Tell Jiraiya to get in here, asap!" She orders.

The ANBU nods and vanishes in a whirlwind of leaves. Tsunade continues to frown, feeling as if there is something familiar about the term 'Goddess of War'.

_In Orochimaru's base…_

"Oho? This is certainly an interesting sealing array," The Sannin murmurs, his eyes narrowing as he reads.

"To think that the Nidaime would hide this away- I wonder what secrets it holds…"

Nearby, Sasuke scowls as Orochimaru is sidetracked by his latest discovery.

_What could be so important about a scroll with a stupid seal if it doesn't make you stronger?_ He thinks before leaning against the wall.

Training would be postponed until Orochimaru has burned out his research fever and is able to focus on Sasuke's training schedule again.

"What a pain…" He grumbles softly.

_With Itachi and Kisame…_

"So that's a scroll written by the Nidaime of Konoha? Must be something special if Leader has sent us after it." Kisame chatters.

Itachi suppresses a sigh as he removes the scroll from its' protective casing, opening it to check its veracity.

"It's not our place to ask, Kisame." Itachi reminds his partner as his eyes scan the document.

_**Warning; … within… King's Candidate… traveler… Sensō no megami… dangerous!**_

There are few symbols he can puzzle out with his decreasing eyesight but all of it together tugs at his memory.

_Goddess of War… where have I..?_ He wonders, squinting.

"So? Is it real?" Kisame questions, reading over his shoulder.

Itachi merely nods and begins to roll it back up when he has a sudden coughing fit- and a stray drop of blood hits the seals.

_Back with Tsunade…_

Jiraiya examines the scroll with a frown before eventually looking at Tsunade.

"It seems to be a combination of a sealing and a summoning scroll- the most complete part of the warning I could decipher was 'Sealed within is the King's _something_ mirror'. Aside from that, I could only read what you had along with a small snippet near the end: 'Sealed by Senju and Uchiha blood'. From what I can infer, only a Senju or an Uchiha can do the summoning."

Tsunade grimaces and swigs some of her sake.

"Damn that old geezer!" She growls, slamming the cup down.

Jiraiya stays quiet, knowing that Tsunade can't be pushed on something like this. After a long moment, Tsunade stands, picking up the scroll and dropping it on the floor. Her hands move through the motions for a summoning jutsu and she bites her thumb to slam it down, bloodied, on the scroll.

"Summoning jutsu!"

_In Orochimaru's base…_

"Hmm, interesting. Sasuke-kun, come here." Orochimaru orders, laying the scroll on the ground.

Sasuke frowns but complies, standing next to Orochimaru who watches him with eerie golden eyes.

"Perform the summoning jutsu on the scroll- make certain your blood is on it, Sasuke-kun." Orochimaru commands, stepping back.

Sasuke suppresses a flash of mutiny before doing as he is told.

"Summoning jutsu!"

Smoke and golden light blasts from the scroll, blinding both shinobi momentarily.

{What the-?! Where am I? A cave?} A female voice suddenly shouts in a foreign tongue, startling both Orochimaru and Sasuke.

The smoke clears and they can clearly see a young woman around Sasuke's age with spiky brown hair bound in a braid, dark eyes, and green and tan desert clothing standing on the scroll. She is frowning, scanning the room.

{This isn't home, is it? Fuck.} She turns her attention to the pair of them and narrows her eyes, grabbing her sword hilt.

{Identify yourselves!} She barks, shifting her feet.

Orochimaru smiles sickeningly, forming a series of hand seals to cast a powerful genjutsu- he doesn't want to hurt his new specimen after all! The woman's eyes widen and she quickly flashes through her own hand seals.

{Kai! Dotun- Stone Bullets!}

From the walls and ground sharpened stone spears explode forward, forcing Sasuke and Orochimaru to dodge. She takes advantage and sprints forward in an explosion of speed, surprising both shinobi. Orochimaru licks his lips before glancing at Sasuke.

"Capture her- preferably with as little damage as possible." He orders before sinking into the ground.

Sasuke huffs before chasing after the stranger.

_Meanwhile with Itachi and Kisame…_

The moment Itachi's blood hit the seal it glows and an explosion of smoke bursts from it, surprising both missing-nin. Kisame grabs Samehada's hilt, wary of what is happening. Itachi scowls, activating his Sharingan to see through the smoke.

A humanoid figure quickly comes into view, much to their surprise. A young man, about 17 or 18, with messy dark brown hair, purple eyes and dusty desert clothing stands on the scroll with an exasperated expression.

{Shit. It actually worked. Wonderful, just great, how am I supposed to reverse this?} He grumbles, looking around before noticing the scroll he is standing on.

Carefully he steps off and picks it up, reading it with a frown.

{… huh. Mom would be **pissed **if she knew about this.} He remarks before finally spotting Kisame and Itachi.

His eyes widen when he sees Itachi's eyes.

"Sharingan." He whispers in surprise.

Kisame and Itachi stiffen in shock at the first understandable word out of the stranger's mouth. Kisame takes a menacing step forward, drawing Samehada.

"Who are you and what do you know?" He growls, baring his shark teeth in a terrifying grin.

Violet eyes narrow and the stranger sighs.

"My name is Keiichi- and right now I know a lot less than I thought I did." He grumbles in Fire, muttering to himself.

Itachi glares, the tomoe in his eyes whirling as he tries to catch Keiichi in a genjutsu.

"You have not explained how you recognized my eyes as Sharingan. Talk." Itachi orders.

Keiichi's head snaps up and his eyes start to change from deep purple to crimson with three tomoe, effectively breaking the genjutsu.

"Because you're not the only one to possess them, cousin." Keiichi states coldly, eyeing him.

_In Tsunade's office…_

"Summoning jutsu!"

Golden light and smoke explodes from the scroll; both Sannin refrain from coughing, narrowing their eyes when they spot a humanoid figure standing on the scroll.

{Eh? Where am I? Xia? Keiichi? Where are you?} A soft feminine voice calls.

As the smoke clears, Jiraiya has to check his impulse to drool: a dark-haired beauty with her hair half bound in a bun, violet eyes and a dress in cream and purple to compliment her coloring. Jeweled bracelets are fastened to her wrists and she is clearly distressed. Both shinobi note that the young woman has two daggers sheathed at the small of her back.

Her eyes widen when she sees Jiraiya and Tsunade. She immediately drops into a defensive stance, watching both of them warily.

{Who are you and where are my siblings?!} She hisses.

Tsunade raises her hands in a placating gesture, watching the young woman carefully.

"We do not understand you- but if you understand us, we mean you no harm." She states calmly.

The young woman's face becomes surprised then thoughtful. She deliberately relaxes her stance, standing up straight- both Sannin can tell she is still wary, but not nearly as hostile.

"… I do understand you. Where am I? What did you do to summon me here? Who are you?" She asks in perfect Fire, much to their surprise.

Tsunade leans back against her desk, deceptively relaxed.

"I am Tsunade Senju, Fifth Hokage of Konohagakure. A scroll left by one of my predecessors was recently discovered and when we realized it was a summoning jutsu I determined it worth the risk to attempt it. Now, who are you? Where did you come from and why were you summoned?"

Violet eyes flash in recognition of 'Konohagakure' then she carefully picks her words.

"I am Samar of the Kouga clan, daughter of Ilona. I cannot disclose my origin, as it is not my secret to tell, but I can infer from the scroll it is connected to an artifact in my mother's possession."

Jiraiya tilts his head.

"Are you referring to a mirror, perchance?"

Samar snaps her head towards him, surprised before realizing he had tricked her for information. Sighing, she nods.

"Yes. But it has not worked in my lifetime- until today." She amends, wary again.

Tsunade crosses behind her desk, seats herself, folding her hands and examining Samar intently.

"Admittedly, your language is foreign to me, but I did hear a name- Keiichi, correct? Who is he?"

Samar stiffens, her face turning stony as she stares at Tsunade.

"… My older brother. He and my older sister, Xia, were also present when the mirror reacted." She finally reveals, hands forming tight fists.

Tsunade and Jiraiya exchange glances before Jiraiya gives a tiny nod. Tsunade clears her throat and meets Samar's eyes.

"If you would like, we can assist you in finding your siblings." She offers.

Samar doesn't relax, keeping her face politely interested.

"And what do you want in return for your services?" Samar questions coolly.

Tsunade quirks her eyebrow in surprise.

_She's a cynic- not a bad thing in this world of ours…_

"I would like your assistance in understanding the purpose of the scroll that summoned you and for your help defending Konohagakure. In return we will provide housing and information so long as you work with us." Tsunade lays it out, guessing Samar would appreciate bluntness.

Samar considers it, clearly debating pros and cons before nodding slowly.

"I accept your offer, Tsunade Senju, with an amendment- I may leave Konohagakure if I wish to find my siblings. Before you reject my proposal, I am willing to go with an escort, but they must have **my** approval as well as yours. Is that acceptable?"

Tsunade smirks, nodding.

"It is- very well, welcome to Konoha, Village Hidden in the Leaves, Samar Kouga."

_Inside Orochimaru's base…_

{Fuck off!} Xia roars, dodging another lightning jutsu from the guy she christened 'Duckbutt'.

He glares at her and speeds up, trying to get close enough to utilize taijutsu. Xia smirks and kicks her speed up a notch- training with Fanalis all her life gave Xia an insane amount of physical endurance and speed. Behind her Sasuke growls, pushing himself harder than he ever expected to simply keep her in sight. To his surprise Sasuke notices they are growing close to the exit of the base.

_How had she found the exit so quickly?_ He wonders before throwing shuriken at her back.

Without even glancing at him, Xia quick draws her sword and deflects the projectiles easily, continuing to run. Sasuke's scowl deepens as the strange girl continues to evade him when with a sudden shout she races outside into the fresh air.

Sasuke speeds up, really pushing himself as she vanishes from view. Following the tracks she left behind, Sasuke pursues until he reaches a clearing. He pauses in surprise when he sees she is waiting for him barely one click away from the base, sword in hand. Her dark eyes meet his and she tilts her head, examining him.

{Finally caught up, Duckbutt? Good- let's get this shitshow over with.} She smirks, easing into a stance.

Sasuke narrows his eyes and activates his Sharingan, aiming to ensnare her in a genjutsu. Xia's own eyes widen when she realizes what he must be and with an abrupt laugh activates her own. Sasuke freezes, unable to believe what he is seeing. Matching crimson eyes with three tomoe spinning idly staring back at him. Xia sighs and relaxes her stance with a wry smirk.

"Well, who knew? Nice to see you, cousin." She tells him in Fire, startling him.

"W-what? Who-?" Sasuke stammers, shaken more than he can admit.

"Xia. You?" She interrupts, tilting her head.

With effort, Sasuke masters himself.

"Sasuke Uchiha. How do you have the Sharingan?" He demands, his heart pumping in excitement and disbelief.

_I'm not alone. I'm not the only survivor- that man didn't kill everyone after all!_

Xia shrugs.

"Dad's an Uchiha- so is oji-san. Now, as much as I would like to stay and chat, I've got to scat before your creepy sensei catches up. Maybe we'll see each other again one day!" She waves before shunshinning out of the clearing.

Sasuke breaks out of his stupor too late to stop her: but he doesn't check his impulse to chase after her- Xia. Internally Sasuke is repressing his excitement, unable to fully process the sensation of joy after so long.

_**I'm not alone.**_

And for the first time in years Sasuke forgets his hatred as he chases after Xia.

_Meanwhile, at awkward family reunion number two…_

"That's impossible." Itachi states, glaring at Keiichi.

Keiichi shrugs, unbothered by Itachi's claim.

"Believe it or not, that's your choice, but it doesn't change the truth." Keiichi states, gathering the scroll and stuffing it into his belt.

Kisame listens intently, piecing together information.

_This Keiichi clearly has the Sharingan naturally, unlike the Copy Cat. Which implies that he is an Uchiha by blood instead of having it transplanted. But the Uchiha in Konoha were slaughtered by Itachi… which means there would have to be a separate branch of the clan somewhere that _no one_, not even the rest of the Uchiha, knows about. What a terrifying idea…_ He muses.

Itachi steps forward, his eyes locked on Keiichi.

"I'm afraid you will have to come along with us, Keiichi." Itachi informs him, his hands gliding silently towards his tools.

Keiichi rolls his eyes, the bloody crimson irises flashing before he settles on Itachi again.

"Yeah… no thanks." He drawls, drawing a strange stick out of his belt.

Kisame tenses and readies himself for a fight- it had been a while since Samehada had a chance to sink her teeth into something. Only, instead of fighting like a normal person, the strange Uchiha levitates and flies into the sky, quirking an eyebrow at them.

"I'll probably see you around- don't die till then. Bye~!" He mockingly waves at them and shoots off into the distance.

Kisame huffs in annoyance, sliding Samehada back across his back.

"What do we do now, Itachi? That Keiichi guy made off with the scroll- I doubt Leader will be happy about that."

Itachi keeps his eyes on the retreating figure of his kinsman.

"We follow him, take him down and deliver him **and** the scroll to Leader." He states.

Kisame sighs and nods, following Itachi as they shunshin after the bizarre Uchiha.

_Well, at least this Keiichi isn't boring._ He quips to himself.

Itachi focuses his gaze on Keiichi's flying form, trying to process the evidence before him. There are many questions Itachi has for his so called 'cousin'- the first the most important.

_**Where did you come from?**_

…

_Back in Magi verse, Taih__ō__gakure._

"Xia! Samar, Keiichi! Dinner is ready!" Ilona yells, waiting at the end of her children's corridor.

Silence.

Ilona frowns, putting her hands on her hips.

"That's odd." She murmurs, moving to check their rooms.

Samar's, the closest to the stairs, is empty save for her traveling pack. The same goes for Xia's room, the next one along. Ilona tries to ignore the foreboding sensation growing in her stomach as she pushes open Keiichi's door.

None of her children are there- but an object she had long since given up on is laying in the center of the room, Rukh still buzzing around it. A roaring in her ears, Ilona staggers into the room, picking up the mirror with shaking hands.

"No, no, nonononono, please no," She whispers, looking into its depths.

Instead of darkness, as before, it is split into three scenes: one of an aerial view of a forest flashing by, the next racing on foot through trees and the last in a bustling town she barely recognizes. Ilona's mouth opens and she **screams.**

"**IZUNA, AYO'YO!"**

Footsteps from above crash down the stairwell: Izuna and Ayo'yo burst into the room, wide-eyed as they see Ilona crying, clutching the mirror.

"Ilona, what-?" Izuna starts to ask when she turns the mirror to show him and Ayo'yo.

"It took them. Izuna, Ayo'yo, it **took** them. My babies!" She cries, knuckles white as she tightens her grip on the mirror's frame.

Ayo'yo kneels next to her and pulls the mirror free, gently. After a brief struggle, Ilona allows her to take it, tears streaming down her cheeks. Izuna pulls her into a hug, soothing her as best he can while looking at his wife meaningfully. Ayo'yo nods, retreating with the mirror. Ilona half-heartedly protests, reaching a hand towards Ayo'yo, but Izuna keeps his grip tight as he rubs her back.

"She's putting it in a safe place. We can't afford to let it break, so Ayo'yo is putting it away. We'll get them back, onēsan, we'll get them back." He whispers, rocking her back and forth.

For a moment his mind flashes back to the last time she had cried, when they had both been stranded in her home world with no way to return his. Both of them had broken down, but Izuna was worse off in some ways, knowing that the sole method to return to his home was broken beyond repair. Last time it was Ilona that had supported him, reminding him he wasn't alone and they needed to stick together to survive.

"I am here with you, don't give up." He repeats her words, hoping it helps her.

While he knows his nieces and nephew are uniquely qualified for dealing with shinobi (he had trained them himself after all) they didn't have the battle experience to get out of true shinobi battles unscathed. And sometimes a scratch is all that is needed to end a fight- or a life. Ilona burrows her head into the space between his shoulder and his neck, tears soaking his shirt. And he remembers that Ilona also knows the truth about his homeland.

The world of Shinobi is cruel and heartless, full of hate that can span generations and leaving empty shells of those who once held promise. He had seen it, as had Ilona, before Madara and Hashirama created Konohagakure together. But it had started to change for the better- until Fate decided to be a bitch and rip both of them away.

Izuna rubs her back comfortingly and perks up when Ayo'yo returns. The Fanalis joins the hug, surrounding Ilona protectively as if to ward off the truth. As Ayo'yo starts murmuring to Ilona, Izuna's eyes flare crimson as his Sharingan activates. He can pick up a massive, but subtle burst of chakra in the room, focused in three spots where he has to presume Keiichi, Samar and Xia were when the mirror took them.

Silently he deactivates his doujutsu and leans back to meet Ilona's eyes.

"Ilona- please use Metis. It might be the only way we figure out exactly what happened to them." He gently urges her.

Ilona clenches her jaw but nods. Ayo'yo and Izuna give her space as she calls upon her first Djinn.

"**Spirit of Memory and Defiance, Metis!"** Ilona roars, summoning her full Djinn Equip.

Spreading her arms, Ilona activates one of Metis' abilities- by resonating with the Rukh in a place she can reconstruct the events that occurred in the past. A very useful ability for numerous reasons, but it can be cruel as well.

"**Alekshef an al-zakriat!"** Ilona commands, a large eight-pointed star manifesting in her hands only to expand and fill the room.

At once they can see Samar and Keiichi sitting down while Xia walks into the bedroom with the mirror.

"_You realize that this is a __**bad**__ idea, right?"_ Samar points out.

Xia rolls her eyes.

"_Not _my _fault if Mom doesn't keep it locked away properly!"_

Ilona growls in irritation and Izuna can't help but agree with her- the fuinjutsu Ilona had locked the mirror up with was as strong as she could make it.

"_Will you two pipe down? The last thing we need is Mom finding us with her __**mirror**__."_ Keiichi cuts them off, glowering.

Both sisters glare at him but listen, watching avidly as he examines it. Keiichi frowns, then his eyes widen in surprise. He glances up at his sisters.

"_There's chakra coming from the empty space in the mirror."_

Izuna gapes while Ayo'yo and Ilona freeze in surprise- none of them had sensed that!

Samar gasps while Xia tilts her head, frowning in confusion.

"_Wow, that's weird! Wait! Do you think it's chakra from _there_?!"_ Xia asks excitedly.

Keiichi purses his lips, considering it.

"_It's __**possible**__\- but why wouldn't Izuna-oji notice it? He should have picked up on it_ years_ ago." _He points out.

"How indeed," Izuna growls, watching avidly.

"… _Izuna-oji-san isn't a sensor type- he said that himself."_ Samar interjects slowly, thinking aloud.

"_You, Keiichi, are a sensor type in addition to being a magician- you can sense chakra and Rukh to a degree even Xia and I cannot match."_

"Makes sense." Ayo'yo mutters.

Xia nods, unknowingly agreeing with her aunt, folding her arms.

"_That makes sense- so, what do we do about it?"_ She questions, pointing at the mirror.

"…" All three siblings frown, considering it.

"… _What if we put chakra into it?"_ Samar eventually offers.

Xia and Keiichi raise their eyebrows at her. She blushes before making herself go on.

"_It might resonate and maybe- maybe it can take us to Otuo-san."_

All three adults can't help but still with shock then understanding. Ayo'yo looks to Izuna and wordlessly takes his hand, squeezing it to remind him she's there. Ilona hugs herself, tears beginning to fall again.

Keiichi and Xia exchange glances then look at Samar. Xia speaks first.

"… _It's worth a shot. I know _we_ never knew him, but Mom and Izuna-oji both miss him. So I say aye."_

"Girls, why..?" Ilona breathes, barely keeping herself from sobbing.

Izuna hangs on tightly to Ayo'yo's hand as he listens to the siblings discuss whether to go through with the experiment or not.

Samar brightens and mouths 'thank you' to her sister, to which Xia smirks then they both look at Keiichi, waiting for his vote. He frowns, glaring at the mirror as if it will give up all its' secrets if he stares hard enough. Finally he meets their eager eyes and groans, rubbing his head in exasperation.

"_Fine- but if I say bail, we bail, understood?"_

His sisters nod in unison.

"Idiots." Ayo'yo groans.

"_Touch the mirror and when I say so, channel a small part of your chakra into the empty space_." He instructs them.

Samar and Xia reach out, touching the mirror's surface with their index fingers- Keiichi follows suit and holds his free hand in the sign of confrontation. The other two mimic him and he breathes out, as if to steady himself before nodding.

"_Begin."_ Keiichi tells them.

They all glow blue with chakra and funnel it into the empty space- and something reaches through and seizes them with golden energy. The mirror blazes with light before it fades, leaving it revealing a trio of different images to dance upon its surface. Ilona cuts off the spell, biting her lip until bloody from her efforts not to scream for her children.

"… So they're alive." Ayo'yo finally breaks the silence.

Ilona whirls on her, furious.

"Alive? Yes, they're alive in a **hellhole** of a world! It's so much worse there then it has ever been here! The only saving grace that world can claim is a lack of systematic** slavery**!" She roars, smashing her fist into a wall.

Thankfully Ilona, in her Metis Djinn Equip, is not able to bring down the village through brute force- though not for a lack of trying. Ayo'yo stares impassively at her, unimpressed.

"Did you train them?"

Ayo'yo's unexpected question halts Ilona's next strike. Ilona glares at her before nodding.

"Of course I did!"

"Are they stupid?" Ayo'yo presses.

"After** this** stunt I have to say yes!" Ilona snarls.

"Are they helpless?" Ayo'yo demands, narrowing her crimson eyes.

Ilona opens her mouth, pauses then shakes her head, dispelling her Djinn Equip.

"No. No, they aren't." She whispers.

Ayo'yo nods firmly.

"Then they will be fine until we figure out a solution."

Both Ilona and Izuna give Ayo'yo admiring looks.

"Sometimes I wonder where we would be without you." Izuna murmurs, giving his wife a side hug.

"Worse off." Ayo'yo deadpans.

Ilona finally laughs, wiping her face.

"That we would," She agrees.

Ayo'yo loops her arms through Izuna and Ilona's elbows, dragging them to dinner.

**And that's a wrap! Remember, next time will be in the Past!**

**For those curious, the full list of Izuna/Ayo'yo's children from oldest to youngest is Mei, Renshu, Sango, Kamau, Isi, Hotaru, Yunru, Kobe, Yue and Atsu.**

**Please comment and review! Until next time!**


	3. The Past

**Hi everyone! Reminder, I do not own Magi or Naruto, but I do own my multiple OCs (geez, I didn't intend for more than four…) As promised, this chapter is focusing on the Past, specifically the first interactions between Izuna and Ilona. As some of you may have noticed, I decided to throw specific cannon events out the window, mwa ha ha ha!**

**Please review and tell me what you think! Enjoy the shenanigans!**

_The Past…_

Ilona stares down at Izuna and sighs, cleaning off the blood and grime as best she can. It's been three days since she had taken responsibility for the injured Uchiha and they were not peaceful. Bands of roving shinobi from multiple clans had passed through, often engaging in battle when they crossed paths. Ilona had resorted to carrying Izuna away from the battles and hiding in a cave as she waits for him to wake up.

_This is bad- he has a fever and some of his injuries are internal, aside from the broken bones in his legs._ She muses, watching him breath raggedly.

Sighing silently, she checks his fever- still too hot. Groaning, Ilona stands and wets the rags she has in a nearby river before returning rapidly. Izuna wheezes as she slaps the wet cloth on his forehead and continues to mumble in his sleep.

Ilona bites her lip, worrying it.

'Metis, Gaia, do you have any ideas? If his fever doesn't break soon, he'll die.' She asks her djinn.

'_I have found some information on herbs in this world, but it is not enough to end the fever.'_ Metis reports, her aggravation showing in her voice.

'_My King, if I may, you can attempt using my partial equip.'_ Gaia suggests.

Ilona perks up, intrigued.

'Explain, please.' She orders.

'_The magic I specialize in is Life magic, or healing magic to put it simply. Admittedly my powers can be destructive, but for the most part I specialize in healing or regenerating the body. My partial equip may be enough for this scenario.'_ Gaia explains.

Ilona considers it for a heartbeat before nodding in consent.

'Very well- what do I need to do?'

'_Repeat after me: O spirit of Renewal and Fellowship, lend unto me thine strength and that of thine brethren, mend the broken, heal the wounded and reignite the spark of life! __Shafa al-aradh!' _Gaia recites, gathering her strength.

Ilona focuses and the pendant Gaia resides in starts to glow as she repeats the Djinn's words.

"O spirit of Renewal and Fellowship, lend unto me thine strength and that of thine brethren; mend the broken, heal the wounded and reignite the spark of life! **Shafa al-aradh!"**

An eight-pointed star appears and Ilona's left arm changes; vines wrap around it and her nails turn green while henna designs manifest on her forearms. A thick golden bracelet bejeweled with emeralds completes the look. Ilona focuses as the magic circle focuses underneath Izuna and cloaks his body in a golden haze. His color improves as cuts, bruises and burns vanish while his legs develop new skin and the bones realign in their splits.

Once Ilona judges the damage is to a far more manageable level, she undoes the partial equip with a sigh of relief, wiping sweat off her brow.

_That was more tiring than I expected._ She reflects, checking Izuna's temperature.

Back to normal range, thankfully. Ilona stares down at Izuna and sighs quietly, sitting back and nibbling on a hunk of dried out bread.

"You better wake up- I would hate to waste my time and energy for nothing." She informs the Uchiha before resuming her watch.

_Meanwhile, at the Uchiha clan…_

"Where is Izuna!?" Madara roars, glaring angrily at his clansmen.

They all- barely- refrain from shuddering at the sight of Madara's swirling red eyes that seem to burn with rage and desperation. It's a desperation they all feel, knowing that Madara will not calm down until confirmation of his brother's status is determined. Alive being preferred, for **many** reasons.

"We reached Sumisu- some of the villagers who survived the attack reported that Nori died in battle. We recovered his body and that of Ginru; Madara-sama… Ginru's eyes were destroyed when we found him."

Madara narrows his eyes, which fade back to black as he listens to this surprising bit of news.

"Not removed?" He questions.

They shake their heads.

"No, sir. Destroyed. Cut to pieces and ground until it was like fish paste. Useless to anyone that wants to steal the Sharingan."

Madara frowns and waves his hand to indicate they continue their report. Bolstered, the scouting party unveils the next bit of surprising news.

"The Sumisu villagers also reported that when they were being overwhelmed, a strange swordsman in desert clothing assisted, killing the Isobe shinobi and gave the villagers a fighting chance. They also helped Ginru, though clearly could not prevent his demise. No one could agree what happened to Izuna-sama, but they all noted that the swordsman vanished after the battle as well."

Madara growls with irritation, standing and looming over them.

"Go back and scout the area! I want Izuna found- and that swordsman! See what else the villagers remember about them and send supplies to rebuild while you're at it!" He barks.

"Hai!" The Uchiha answer before shunshinning away.

Madara grits his teeth, chafing at the elders' demand he remain with the clan while Izuna remains _missing_. He stalks through the compound, anger palpable as Madara goes to the training grounds to work off his frustration.

_Izuna… you better be alive!_ Madara snarls in his mind.

…

Izuna groans as he struggles to open his eyes. The burning pain that had plagued him was… gone? He frowns and forces his eyes open. Blearily he sees a dim space with an almost dead campfire about two feet away from his body. Izuna turns his head, wondering where the hell he is.

"You're awake." A low voice remarks.

His head whips around and spots a figure in dusty clothing stabbing a fish onto a stick. He fumbles for a kunai- only to find his weapons pouch empty!

"That's a way to thank someone." The stranger remarks dryly, spinning one of his kunai on their finger.

Izuna glares at her and activates his Sharingan-! Only for a rock to slam him right in the eye!

"Ow! What the hell was that for?!" He hisses, eye tearing up.

"That's my line, dumbass. I save your pitiful ass and you try to strap me into a genjutsu at first opportunity? **Clearly** no one taught you about giving thanks or proper gratitude." They huff and walk over to tend the fire.

Izuna glares at them, trying to learn details about his mysterious caretaker.

_About 5'9", worn clothing better suited for the desert, scars on the hands from handling weapons and fighting, skin tanned from constant exposure to the sun, likely skilled at healing if they took care of my injuries... But where is Ginru?!_

"Where is Ginru?!" He growls, forcing his body to cooperate as he struggles to sit up.

The stranger pauses and turns slightly before speaking.

"Dead. Those other shinobi killed him. I finished them off and heard out his request to bring you back to your clan before he passed."

Izuna grits his teeth, glaring hatefully at them.

"Why the hell would he trust you?! You're just an outsider! Or maybe you **let** him die instead of saving him-!"

Another rock slams into his forehead, shutting him up. The stranger tosses another pebble up and down in their palm as they wait for Izuna to stop flailing.

"Let's be logical. Why would I kill him and save you?" They question him coolly.

Izuna glares at them.

"Because this could be a plot to steal my Sharingan and Ginru was in the way-!"

"Wrong." The pebble underlines their point as it smacks his mouth this time.

"I don't need the Sharingan to beat shinobi. Besides, it would have been easy to steal Ginru's eyes after he died, so why would I need yours? But for the record… I destroyed Ginru's eyes after he fell." They tell him before standing and walking out of the cave.

Izuna can only fume, his body still too weak to move much as the stranger handles dinner and tending the fire. The cave fills with the smell of cooked fish and roasted roots, with which they combine into a sticky paste and form balls. They bring a stick of them over to Izuna and hold one out to him.

"Eat- unless you **like** being as weak as a baby."

Izuna glares balefully at the offered food, scoffing.

"You think I'm a fool? You could have poisoned that!"

They deadpan through their grey shemagh.

"Why would I bother healing you only to poison you later? You shinobi are seriously fucked up bastards." They grumble before pulling down the scarf.

Izuna blinks, stunned. His (unwanted) companion is a young woman! Scars mar her right eye but the rest of her tanned face is undamaged, giving her a stoic and foreign beauty. Purple eyes flash as she glares at him before eating one of the paste balls. She swallows and waits a few minutes before giving him a sardonic smile.

"Oh look, I'm alive and un-poisoned. The horror!"

Izuna's face flushes red but he doesn't argue anymore as she makes him eat the strange paste balls. They are odd but filling as he chews and swallows them. His stomach growls in protest when he finishes them all and his ears turn pink with embarrassment. She chuckles lowly, her eyes twinkling in amusement.

"Sleep now- we'll move out in a few days when you can support your own weight." She commands, throwing the fish bones into the fire pit.

"… I don't trust you." Izuna growls, scrutinizing her closely.

"And I you." She coldly rejoins, surprising him.

"Then why are you helping me?! Are you after a reward, fame, status?! Who are you and what do you want?!" Izuna explodes, temper flaring because she just doesn't make_ sense_.

She finishes cleaning the cave before meeting his gaze for a long moment, allowing the silence to grow between them.

"… No one deserves to rot to death on the battlefield. It's slow, agonizing; cruel. You can feel your body dying from the inside out as your wounds fester and bloat. Insects crawling on you and burrowing into your dying flesh to lay their eggs, their larva bursting free only to repeat the cycle until there's nothing left of you. And all the while you're cursing the bastards that left you to die like that, rather than finishing you off cleanly."

Izuna pales as she detachedly describes what could have been his fate, her violet eyes much too grim and _knowing_ to be jesting.

_Someone she knew died like that- or it happened to her._ He notes in a distant part of his mind, the rest of his attention focusing on the horror she is describing to him.

"So it wasn't much of a choice for me- leaving someone to die like that… Well, it's not an option I choose unless there's no other fucking choice." She concludes softly, staring into the glowing embers.

"I would rather cut my own loved one's throats versus letting them suffer that."

Izuna stares at her, surprised into silence by her simple admission.

"… You're not a shinobi." He states, gauging her reaction.

She throws another log onto the fire, reigniting it.

"Does it matter? Shinobi die like everyone else."

"If you're not a shinobi, how do you intend on escorting me safely home?" Izuna demands, incredulous.

_She can't cast jutsus or defend against them! And she's female- that only makes it worse! How the hell did I come to be dependent on a _civilian?! He thinks, aghast at their probable odds of survival.

"The same way I always do- travel at night, using streams to disrupt our scents and hide possible tracks, rest during the day in shifts then keep moving until you get home. Run into trouble? I lure them away and slaughter them while you stay snug and hidden. Don't puff up at me, you can barely sit up much less fight." She cuts him short before he can even contemplate arguing.

… _Alright, she's not a total fool, but I need to get stronger quickly so I can at least defend myself!_ Izuna thinks, determination building inside him.

"Rest. We're not leaving for a few more days." His companion tells him, leaning against the cave wall with her sword laying ready on her lap.

Izuna grumbles but relaxes his body marginally- he doesn't trust her, mind you, but he knows that he's in no shape to fight presently.

…

Three days pass and Izuna can support his own weight again. His companion, still nameless, determines they can leave that night, appeasing Izuna's need to return home. Strangely she has few belongings but from **somewhere** pulls out a spare desert over robe and pants large enough for him.

"Get dressed- we leave in an hour." She orders before turning away to give him privacy.

Izuna makes a face at her before struggling with the removing his bloodied and torn clothing. He contains his grunts of pain as he shucks all but his plain shirt under his high-collared robe and his underwear. Luckily his new clothes are loose and don't require much in terms of fastening or adjusting as he fidgets with the dark brown clothes.

"Are you from a desert country?" He asks her, pulling on the robe to settle it more firmly on his shoulders.

She shrugs indifferently, scanning their surroundings. Wordlessly she hands him- his weapons pouch?! Izuna stares at her openly as he checks his leg to confirm it's gone- it is- before opening it. All his distance weaponry is in there along with a strangely curved knife he _knows_ wasn't there before. Slowly he pulls it free of the battered sheath: it broad near the hilt and narrows into a thin point at the tip. The curve of the blade makes it so when he pulls it free it is already facing his opponent.

Both edges are sharp and Izuna can tell it is a superb, if old, weapon for close-quarters. Much better than the kunai he is used to or his lost katana. The hilt is smoothed down from use and feels comfortable in his hand, despite its foreign texture. Izuna glances up at his companion with ill-concealed shock.

"What _is_ this?" He asks, showing her the knife.

She blinks, glancing at it before meeting his eyes calmly.

"It's called a jambiya- it's better for self-defense than those throwing knives of yours. Take care of it- it was a gift." She tells him simply before starting to walk.

Izuna quickly increases his pace to keep up with her, staying behind her as she maneuvers easily through the thick forest, heading northeast towards the Uchiha's home territory. The moon filters some light through the branches but for the most part everything is shrouded in shadows. Despite this, she continues to walk forward confidently, not putting a step wrong.

Eventually, Izuna's curiosity can't be contained any longer.

"How are you doing that?!" He whispers as she deftly avoids a rabbit hole.

She tilts her head at him silently over her shoulder, quirking an eyebrow in a 'what are you talking about' face. Izuna actually pouts, pointing at the rabbit hole.

"That! You avoided that so easily but it's almost pitch black out here! How are you doing it?!" _Without a Sharingan _is the unspoken subtext.

She actually pauses for a moment, mulling over his question before continuing onwards. Izuna slumps in disappointment but perks up when she answers softly.

"I spent most of my childhood and early adulthood in shitholes with little to no light. You adapt or you die. That's the way it is."

Izuna blinks in surprise, his mind busily fitting in this new piece of information into the puzzle that makes up- _wait, what's her name?!_ He realizes in a panic, stunned he forgot such a simple detail.

_I've been in her company for the past six days and I don't know her name! What kind of shinobi am I?!_ Izuna internally wails, mentally pulling his hair.

"Keep moving." Her voice breaks his self-induced panic and he blinks, realizing she had moved ahead of him.

"What do I call you?" Izuna blurts out then his cheeks flame with embarrassment.

She tilts her head at him.

"… You've been fine without my name; why do you want to know now?"

Izuna looks away, his face still hot as he mumbles.

"I just realized I never learned your name…"

She stays silent for a moment.

"… You're kind of dumb for an all-powerful shinobi." She tells him, her voice dry as dust.

Izuna opens his mouth to protest when he picks up on four chakra signals. His eyes widen as he scans the area and his eyes flicker to his companion. She has her head turned in the same direction as the incoming shinobi and meets his eyes.

"Stay close." She tells him simply.

The four shinobi leap into braches above their heads, examining them closely before grinning.

"Ne, don't you know that traveling at night is dangerous?" One of the shinobi taunts them.

Izuna grits his teeth.

_These lowly bastards-!_

"What do you want?" His companion demands coolly, completely unafraid.

The shinobi blink in surprise then glare at her.

"Well, whatever goods, food or weapons you have to start~ and maybe a taste of you too, bitch! Your husband will have to go, though- he's not our type!" His cronies laugh and Izuna nearly snarls at the insult.

His hand moves towards his knives but he is interrupted by her again.

"Are you alone?" She purrs, her eyes glinting in the moonlight.

The shinobi blink at her question then smirk broadly.

"Why, you not satisfied with just us?" He questions, jumping down and striding towards her.

She cocks her head and Izuna barely hides his surprise as she steps forward boldly, barely leaving any room between her and the enemy. Her hand reaches out and touches his face as she smiles with her eyes.

"I just want to know how many I have to take care of…" She explains, tracing his jaw.

He flushes beat red and his companions whoop in appreciation, nudging each other as they watch her- _and not him._ Izuna blinks then his jaw nearly drops when he realizes that she is deliberately distracting the enemy to take their attention away from him. He covertly slips into the shadows, readying to shunshin back home and far away from confusing foreigners.

But his conscience nags him.

_She protected and healed you- are you really going to leave her to die?_

He pauses behind a tree, indecisive.

_She's a stranger! _Izuna argues with himself. _Not even a true shinobi or a friend of the clan!_

_But she still saved your life._ His conscience points out and Izuna nearly growls at the annoying truth.

"Don't worry sweetheart, it's just us tonight," The enemy assures Izuna's companion, reaching behind to grope her with a sickening smile.

"The rest of our group is a week's journey south- we're not due back for a fortnight." One of the other shinobi calls, leaping clear of the tree onto the ground.

She hums, acknowledging his words before her hand slides along the shinobi's jaw down his throat slowly. Then, too fast for Izuna to see unaided, the shinobi collapses in a heap with blood pooling all around him. The other three shinobi freeze for a precious moment and the foreigner takes full advantage, whipping something thin around the other grounded shinobi's throat. She twists her wrist hard and his head flies off, spraying blood into the air.

Izuna watches in surprise as she easily avoids the kunai and shuriken flying at her, using quick flicks of her wrists to send her weapon into the trees. The two remaining shinobi scatter, flanking opposite sides of her as she attacks back. One tries to hold her attention by throwing a storm of shuriken, aiming to make her focus on dodging his weapons and ignoring his companion. Meanwhile, the second shinobi flies through the hand signs for a lightning jutsu, his grin growing as the electricity flares around him.

Izuna steps forward to assist, almost before he realizes it, throwing a well-aimed kunai into the skull of the ninjutsu-user. Purple eyes flicker briefly towards him but she doesn't stop to acknowledge him as she abruptly folds all her fingers into a fist, pulling towards herself. Using the extra momentum, the nearly invisible razor wire wraps around the shinobi and slices through him, blood splattering the ground. Izuna narrows his eyes, flashing his Sharingan to make certain there are no more hidden foes.

But the forest is quiet, save for the dripping of blood falling off leaves onto the ground and Izuna sees no more enemies to fight. Anger coils in his gut as he stalks over to her, the words bursting out of his mouth before he can temper them. Not that the Uchiha wants to.

"What the hell was that?!" He hisses, jabbing his finger at the corpses.

Her violet eyes glance at the dead then she looks away, intent on recoiling her razor wire neatly.

"A ploy. I told you, didn't I? I would lure enemies away and slaughter them while you stay snug and hidden." She reminds him, slipping the wire back up her sleeve.

Izuna gapes at her, his mouth opening and closing as he tries to process what she had said to him.

"B-But they could have killed or raped you! Or **both!** Why the hell would you risk that for a stranger?!" He yells, frustration bleeding into his voice.

"…" She doesn't reply, which enrages him even more.

"We don't know each other and yet you were still willing to take on four shinobi- why?! Just, WHY?!" Izuna demands, his Sharingan swirling in agitation.

Her breath huffs out and she pokes Izuna firmly right in between the eyes, startling him.

"Because I said I would- and I don't make a habit of making promises I intend to break, Izuna… and thanks, for the killing the ninjutsu user." She says simply.

Izuna blinks, his crimson eyes fading back to black before a cheeky grin grows on his face.

"You can tell me your name in place of your thanks!" Izuna offers.

She pauses for a moment then a sigh fills the air between them as she finally relents.

"Sasha. You can call me Sasha, Izuna."

**And so, with this meeting a different path opens. Little did they know this would be the beginning of a lifelong friendship that would span worlds and time itself. A life would be saved… and new possibilities arise in turn. So begins the first of many such journeys of Ilona Kouga, the Goddess of War and King's Candidate, and Izuna Uchiha, her first Household Member.**

**Next time, the story will return to the Present. Please review and comment!**


	4. Fate twisted (Present)

**Hi everyone! I don't own Magi or Naruto, I do own my OCs and crazy plot twists! Reminders, there will be violence and swearing: also this chapter is in the Present and major plot divergence! Please review or comment, let me know what you think- no flaming please, it does not help in the slightest. Now, let's see what our trio of troublemakers are up to~! Mwa ha ha ha ha!**

"… Ya know, this is getting old." Xia finally declares, putting her hands on her hips and glaring at Sasuke.

Sasuke scoffs, folding his arms as he glares back as he tries to catch his breathe. Xia rolls her eyes and settles on a boulder, expression annoyed as she digs around in a small pouch.

"Why are you even following me? I mean, sure, we're related somehow but that doesn't excuse your stalker-ish behavior, Duckbutt." She points out, chewing on some dried fruit he doesn't recognize.

"I'm not stalking you." He retorts, scowling at her.

Xia gives him a _look._

"Yeah, no. Following me without my consent reads as 'stalking'. So, are you going to explain yourself or am I supposed to guess your reasoning?" She demands sarcastically.

"…" He grinds his jaw, fury boiling in his gut as he remembers _that man_ and the surge of relief when he saw her eyes- natural, familiar Sharingan.

Xia examines his expression for a long moment before speaking quietly.

"Look, I'm happy to see you too, cousin-I-never-knew-about. But you are **suffocating me.** I don't need a babysitter and I have shit to do that doesn't involve being chased by you for unexplained reasons. So either** talk** or we're done here."

Sasuke quirks a disbelieving brow and smirks at her.

"You think you can just walk away? Ple_ase_." He scoffs.

_There's no way I'm letting you out of my sight!_ Sasuke thinks fiercely.

Xia narrows her eyes and cocks her head, her facial expression becoming devious.

"Oh..? You **really **think you can keep up with me?" She challenges, grinning devilishly.

Sasuke straightens, now glaring at her dangerously.

"Of course I can." He claims, hands clenching.

Xia smirks, pushing to her feet and replacing the food she hadn't finished before stretching.

"Good. Because I have no intention of slowing down for you." She tells him before winking and _exploding _into a sprint.

Sasuke muffles a curse as he pursues, gritting his teeth as he barely catches glimpses of Xia through the distant tree branches.

_How is she so fast?! She's like Lee or Guy!_ He has time to think before realizing there are four separate trails, all running off into different directions.

He pauses and frowns darkly.

_She must have created Shadow clones just to throw off my tracking- and dammit, it's _working! _Xia knew I could barely keep her in sight before, but now-! _

Sasuke shakes his head and grimly starts drawing on his cursed seal, transforming into his other form.

_You are not getting away _that_ easily!_

…

Samar examines the village curiously as Tsunade and the white-haired man who introduced himself as Jiraiya escort her to a training area bordered by a forest. She has to work hard to not stare in awe at the sheer number of trees, despite how much she wants to.

_So many-! And they're so tall! I can't even see the sky- is this what a canopy is?_

Her curiosity is burning but she holds herself in check, staying with the Hokage and her advisor. Soon enough she spots four other figures- two women and two men. The older members of the group watch her with controlled curiosity while the younger pair eye her openly. Both younger shinobi step forward and start barraging Tsunade and Jiraiya with questions.

"Pervy-sage, who's she?!" The blond boy in orange demands, pointing at her.

"Tsunade-shishou, what is going on? I thought we were going to be taking an exam?" The pink-haired (PINK-HAIR?!) kunoichi asks, tilting her head.

Samar sweats a little at their behavior, glancing at Tsunade for a social cue of how to proceed. Tsunade huffs loudly, drawing the shinobis' attention.

"This is Samar Kouga- Kakashi, I want you to assess her along with Naruto and Sakura. Shizune will be on stand-by, so feel free to push them hard. Let's see how far you've come, Naruto and Sakura. Samar!"

Samar stands straight, clenching her hands at her sides as she meets the Hokage's gaze.

"Yes, Lady Tsunade?" She asks quietly, resisting the urge to fidget.

"Show us what you can do." Tsunade tells her frankly.

Samar inclines her head slightly in understanding before moving smoothly over to the silver-haired man she can only assume is 'Kakashi'. She fluidly enters a swift bow, clasping one fist in the other at chest level before straightening.

"Greetings." She says quietly.

Kakashi gives her an eye smile- with his lone visible one, anyway, before chuckling.

"Maa, no need to be so formal, Samar-chan." He assures her.

Samar nods slowly, refusing to relax.

_I don't know him or anyone here. Mother's rule of 'no Sharingan unless it is life or death' still applies since this is a test to see my skills. I should also refrain from using my Djinn Equip; better to have more than one ace if I can manage it._

"Hey!" The blond, Naruto, yells right in her face.

Samar blinks and keeps her face carefully neutral as she resists the urge to lean away from him.

"Yes, Naruto-san?" She asks carefully.

"You're weirdly dressed! Where're you from?" He demands, squinting at her.

Samar inwardly sighs, recognizing the signs of a **very** blunt personality- _just like Xia._ She packs that thought away and smiles slightly at Naruto.

"Very far away, Naruto-san. Shall we begin the assessment?" She redirects, hoping he is easy to distract.

Naruto perks up and nods, looking over at 'Sakura' and Kakashi with an eager expression. Kakashi nods and leads them away from Tsunade, Jiraiya and Shizune. He slouches next to a thick wooden pole and pulls out two small bells, holding them up.

"Your objective is to secure one of the bells from me- you three have until sunrise to do so. Come at me as if you're going to kill me, or you won't stand a chance. Only those who have a bell will pass the test."

Samar blinks at the information, mind whirling as she analyzes while Sakura and Naruto stand slightly tensed, eyeing Kakashi warily.

_Hmm, so we need a bell, but there are not enough to go around- meaning someone is going to fail if those are the only bells… But I don't necessarily need a bell: Lady Tsunade only wants to know what I am capable of. So 'passing' is not as necessary for me as the other two. Ergo, if I receive a bell, then I can pass it off to the others instead. This should be interesting… Izuna-oji-san said shinobi battles are about who can gain the most information the fastest and take advantage of it. _She muses, inwardly intrigued by the upcoming battle.

"Hmm, I suppose I should start off with this…" He says, pulling up his hiate-ate and revealing a closed eye with a long scar dissecting it vertically.

Kakashi opens it and Samar has to resist freezing in absolute shock as he unveils a **Sharingan**. Somehow she keeps her emotions from showing on her face and keeps a calmly interested expression pasted on.

"Oh? You're taking us seriously?" Sakura asks, narrowing her green eyes.

Kakashi smirks at the three of them.

"I have a feeling things are going to be different this time." He remarks.

Naruto grins and suddenly charges in with a kunai. Samar watches sharply as Kakashi gets behind him, pointing the weapon at the back of his head.

"Maa, no need to rush, Naruto-kun." Kakashi chuckles.

Naruto grins and a shadow clone presses a kunai into Kakashi's back.

"Don't think I'm the same as before, dattebayo!" Naruto retorts.

Kakashi eye-smiles.

"Ah, you have improved, Naruto. But I didn't even say 'start' yet." He reminds him.

Naruto grins widely while Sakura and Samar tense.

"Alright- start!" He chirps and poofs into smoke.

"Wha-! Where'd he go?!" Naruto yelps in disbelief.

Samar tunes out his ranting as she focuses her senses, seeking Kakashi's chakra and magoi. She isn't surprised when she can't find his chakra signature… his magoi on the other hand, is easy enough to find. Samar shares a glance with Sakura, subtly pointing downwards. Sakura nods and cocks back her fist back, then slams it forcefully into the earth.

It splits open in a way that makes Samar nostalgic for Ayo'yo, who has similar battle prowess and strength, exposing Kakashi. Both he and Naruto are terrified of Sakura (or just dumbfounded) as Sakura winks at Kakashi.

"Peek a boo, Sensei~!" She says coyly.

Samar smiles, drawing one of her two combat knives: the steel is dark with a lighter discoloration near the blade's cutting edges. It fits comfortably in her grip as she flips it to slice slits on both sides of her dress, briefly mourning the necessity. Naruto squawks at her boldness but Samar ignores him as she flickers forward in a silent shunshin.

Kakashi blocks her initial strike with a kunai, watching her carefully she engages in a vicious exchange of taijutsu. Samar flawlessly incorporates cuts and slashes while kicking, showing serious flexibility and self-control during her assault. Naruto quickly spams shadow clones and charges in, trying to take advantage of the distraction Samar has created for them. Sakura follows close behind, moving to support Naruto.

Samar shunshins out of the way of a roundhouse kick then returns almost immediately, swiping at Kakashi's feet. He back flips out of the way, a fact Naruto's clones take full advantage of as they encircle him. Kakashi has little trouble dispelling the clones but Sakura nearly punches him, forcing him on the defensive. Samar spots an opening and throws her knife at him.

Kakashi dodges by a hair, giving her an eye-smile. Samar smiles back and switches with the knife when it is only a foot past him, snap kicking her foot into his kidney. Kakashi lurches back and swaps with a log, hiding again. Samar stills and scans for his magoi, finding him almost immediately. She meaningfully looks at Sakura and Naruto, simply inclining her head in Kakashi's direction.

Naruto gives her a confused look while Sakura's eyes light up with understanding. Sakura jumps and cracks the ground open again. Kakashi sweats as he's forced back into the open, more worried than he was at the beginning of the test. Naruto grins, starting to catch on.

"Samar-chan, you can find Kakashi-sensei?" He asks, creating more clones.

Samar merely smiles and winks at him in answer, twisting to catch Sakura as she flies backwards. Kakashi scans his students and withholds a sigh, knowing this would not be nearly as easy as last time. His eyes flicker to Samar, intrigued by her skills- _she was clearly trained by a very strong shinobi._ He notes, refocusing as he gives them a serious glare.

"First lesson: taijutsu." He intones.

The younger shinobi need no more invitation than that to continue the battle.

_Elsewhere…_

"… You two are seriously stubborn." Keiichi remarks, panting hard.

Kisame and Itachi give him simultaneous annoyed glares, sweating, covered in dirt and burns. Keiichi isn't much better- multiple cuts, burns and slashes decorate his arms from Samehada and his clothes plastered in mud. He rolls his eyes, wincing as the veins from overusing his magoi throb, shifting his feet for a better stance as he tries to predict how they will attack him next. Inwardly Keiichi sighs, knowing that escape is more unlikely by the moment.

_Damn those pill things! If they hadn't had those I would have gotten away just fine but _no_, they just had to have pills that restore used up chakra! Augh! Izuna-oji clearly didn't tell us everything! Dammit and now we're all probably paying the price…_ He curses, tightening his grip on his wand.

_If there was something like those pills for magoi then I would be able to keep casting spells and using my borg- but there isn't and whining isn't going to change that. Ugh. This sucks balls. They're wearing me down and soon I'm not going to be able to defend myself. And of course I don't have my regular weapons on me. Typical. What to do, what to do- OH SHIT!_

Keiichi barely avoids Kisame's water dragon jutsu, leaping into a nearby tree to stay clear of the water. Itachi shunshins right above him and Keiichi bites back a curse as he is kicked out of the tree, coughing up some blood.

_Mom, Izuna-oji and Ayo'yo-oba would kill me for being this careless._ He reflects as Kisame successfully traps him in a water prison.

Keiichi grimaces, scratching his head.

"Don't suppose you're gonna let me go, are you?" He asks, figuring he might as well try.

Both Akatsuki members deadpan, heaving for breath. Keiichi groans out loud, massaging his pounding head.

"Hey now, I didn't ask you two to chase me all fucking day! That's on you!" He snaps, pointing at both of them.

"Can I shut him up now?" Kisame demands, gritting his teeth.

Itachi nods, his crimson eyes glittering with suppressed exhaustion and annoyance. Kisame grins evilly and adds a minor change to the water prison- rather than letting the occupant breathe the water like it is air, it changes to plain water. Keiichi inhales before he realizes what Kisame did and instinctively tries to cough only for it to be water. His lungs burn as he passes out from the lack of oxygen.

His last conscious thought is that his day probably ranks as the worst of his siblings'. Itachi sighs as he secures chakra suppressing cuffs to Keiichi's wrists while Kisame preps the emergency teleportation jutsu. The partners nod to each other, Kisame carrying Keiichi over his shoulder and they activate the jutsu formula.

_Elsewhere, same time…_

Xia is whistling as she leans against a tree trunk, pleased by the sneakiness of her plan. Her head start gave her ample time to create shadow clones and send them off into different directions while she kept going westwards.

_Silly Duckbutt, I can't babysit right now._ She thinks fondly before getting to her feet and stretching.

_Finding Samar and Keiichi will be a pain in the ass, considering they ended up somewhere else. I gotta find civilization first and hopefully find rumors of them._ Xia decides, leaping to the next tree.

Soon she settles into a steady rhythm, springing from branch to branch with an abandonment she had never managed in her home world.

_Damn is it nice to use ninjutsu and chakra openly- no worrying about Sinbad or Leam or Kou finding out~!_

Abruptly a surge of memories flood her mind, sending her staggering.

"Shit!" She hisses, rubbing her forehead.

The gist of the memories is racing through the woods before being attacked by something with wings and dark energy. Her blood runs cold at the uncanny resemblance to the Dark Djinn she had seen as a child. Grimly she notes the direction the dispelled shadow clone was and keeps going, pushing herself harder and faster.

The next clone explodes less than an hour after the first, giving her similar memories of a winged creature attacking it. Gritting her teeth, Xia keeps going and squashes her rising fear.

_It's dead, it's dead, you saw it die, this isn't the same- you know it's not the same so stop freaking out and focus on surviving!_ She snarls at herself, increasing her speed until she is little more than a blur.

Day fades into night but Xia doesn't stop- Ilona had taught all her children to see in darkness without their Sharingan and she doesn't want to waste her energy. Especially if she has to fight. Several hours pass and then she feels the last clone pop.

A sense of calm settles upon her and she grips her sword hilt in comfort as she crouches in a tree.

_Rest now, regain my strength then move on. It'll be coming soon- and I need to be ready for it._ Xia orders herself and settles more firmly in the branches of a tree.

Closing her eyes, Xia breathes in, tugging her chakra deep inside her and hiding it as she mediates. She rests an hour then rises, keeping her chakra suppressed and breaks into a run once again. Xia barely notices the moon crossing the night sky as she approaches what sounds like a large waterfall. Her mouth quirks at the reassuring sound and she picks up her pace, ignoring her aching legs with practiced ease.

The forest ends and Xia stands on a river edge, overlooking a giant waterfall between two statues on either side of the river. Forgetting her pursuer, Xia jumps onto the nearest statue and clambers out onto the fingers poised in the sign of confrontation. The statue opposing her has long straight hair, tied back with a headband. Tilting her head backwards, Xia sees the statue she is using has bristly hair like hers. She almost laughs aloud but refrains, jumping down and water-walking to the middle of the river to get a better view.

"Damn, I wonder who these guys were?" She wonders, glancing between them before shaking her head harshly and continues to the other side of the river.

Xia is about to step onto the opposite bank when the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. She whips around and spots a grey-skinned creature with awkward wings and a black cross on its face staring down at her. Cautiously she extends her senses, trying to feel what the hell this thing is- and jerks, stepping backwards.

Hate. Deep, vicious, corrosive hatred oozes from the creature and Xia is sure if she were in back home there would be Black Rukh fluttering around it. Immediately she draws her sword and narrows her eyes.

"State your purpose!" She barks, feeding magoi into her sword.

The eight-pointed star near the hilt of her blade begins to glow as she wakes her djinn.

'_My king? What is going on?'_ A rumbling man's voice answers, noting her aggression.

'We have trouble- long story short, Mom's mirror worked again and now I'm in Izuna-oji's home world and there's **that thing** over there that I'm still not sure isn't a Black Djinn. Get ready for a fight.' She orders, shifting her feet.

The creature leaps down to be level with her on the river's surface. Xia glares fiercely at it and bares her teeth aggressively. It pauses then its form starts to **change**. Grey skin fades to fair, the wings disappear and it straightens to reveal itself to be-

"Duckbutt?!" Xia shouts in surprise.

His face twitches into a scowl.

"My name isn't Duckbutt!" He snaps, glaring at her.

"Well, that's your nickname now." Xia decides.

'_Really, my king?'_ Her djinn sighs in exasperation.

'Look at his hair and try telling me it doesn't look like a duck's butt.' She retorts, eyeing Sasuke carefully.

'…'

'Well?'

'… _Dammit, it does look like a duck's butt.'_ He agrees reluctantly.

'Right? Anyway, he's an Uchiha like Izuna-oji but I have zero clue what he wants. I'm certain he's involved with shady people- the bastard he was with gave me the creeps.' She recalls, fighting to keep her muscles from tensing at the memory.

'_Have you asked him?'_

'Yes- but he didn't say anything so I left.' Xia mentally shrugs.

'_Ask again.'_

'Ugh, really? Fine.' Xia grouses unhappily.

"What do you want?" She asks Sasuke again, fed up with his moodiness.

"…" He simply stares at her and Xia finally loses her patience.

"Seriously? This is the time to tell me because I'm done with the silent treatment bullshit. You don't tell me and I'll leave- **for good.** Tell me and I'll at least fucking hear you out. Your goddamn choice, Duckbutt."

Sasuke's eyes widen in surprise at her ultimatum.

"You wouldn't do that," He says, but Xia can hear a thread of uncertainty in his voice.

Xia smiles dangerously at him.

"Sure you want to test that, Duckbutt?" She asks him sweetly.

"…" Sasuke grits his teeth, at a loss for what to do.

Xia nods at his frustrated expression.

"Thought not. Get to it or I'm leaving. You have a minute to start talking."

Sasuke inhales heavily through his nose, trying for patience before meeting her eyes.

"How are you alive? Where are you from? Are you alone? Are there… others?" His voice breaks on the last question and Xia cocks her head.

"That's a ton of questions and you haven't even answered any of mine." She deflects.

Sasuke slashes his hand and finally loses his cool.

"I'm serious! You're the only other Uchiha I've met since the clan was massacred, so I need to know, **are you the only one?!"** He yells desperately.

Xia blinks.

"… That was unexpectedly heavy." She jokes wryly.

Sasuke _snarls_, his Sharingan flashing. Xia rolls her eyes.

"Stop being so damn dramatic, Duckbutt. How about this- I answer one of your questions then you answer one of my questions. Deal?"

Sasuke narrows his eyes but eventually nods. Xia meets his eyes and sighs gustily.

"To answer what seems to be your most important question, 'am I the only one', the answer is no. My turn, what happened to the Uchiha clan?"

"… When I was seven the clan was massacred by one of our own- he killed everyone in one night, including my parents." He eventually tells her.

Xia hums sympathetically before staring at him expectantly.

"Where have you been!? I thought I was- where were you, why don't you live in Konoha?!" Sasuke explodes.

Xia waits for him to simmer down before answering.

"That's a more complicated answer- to keep it simple for your sanity, we're so far away we might as well be in another world. There hasn't been contact between my family's branch and the main clan since Madara Uchiha led the clan himself. My turn, how many years has it been since Konohagakure was founded?"

Sasuke blinks.

"What?"

"How many years has it been since Konohagakure was founded?" She repeats herself less patiently.

"Why would-?"

"Answer the question, Sasuke." Xia interrupts him.

"… One hundred and eight years." He finally replies, sensing that this question in particular is important to her.

Xia stiffens, eyes burning and bites the inside of her cheek- **hard.**

'_My king?'_ Her djinn whispers, worried.

'… We're too late. Otou-san** has** to be dead by now.' She replies, silencing the djinn.

'Mom knew that there was a difference between how time flows here and how it flows back in our world. But to think it was **this** bad? I don't know what to say to her! FUCK!' She swears furiously in her mind.

"…" Sasuke watches his clan sister almost start crying before mastering herself.

Sasuke doesn't know what to think anymore. Xia clearly doesn't know anything about what happened in Konoha and she's not the only survivor either.

_Maybe… maybe she can help me hunt down Itachi…_

The idea is tantalizing to him- no longer being alone, the last Uchiha aside from the murderer himself. To have someone who understands what it's like to have the Sharingan and shares his goals. His fist clenches as he makes up his mind.

_I can't let her leave._

"Xia, what exactly are you going to do now?" He questions, silently pulling out a senbon coated in a sedative.

Xia tilts her head then shrugs.

"Find my siblings- they got summoned too so I need to figure out where they are."

Sasuke nearly fumbles at her casual admittance of yet **more** Uchiha running around.

"My turn, where are we?" Xia wonders, staring up at the statues.

"The Valley of the End, one of the boarders of the Land of Fire." He answers, easing closer to her.

She hums in acknowledgement, squinting at the statues.

"Who are your siblings?" Sasuke demands, unable to moderate his tone.

Xia glances at him and Sasuke can tell she is weighing the risks of telling him. He bites back a surge of anger that she isn't trusting him completely, but a part of him whispers she is right to be wary.

"… Keiichi and Samar." She says simply.

Sasuke can tell that is all he's getting out of her on the subject but can't help but marvel: five Uchiha, instead of two like he had thought for so many years. That flicker of emotion roars to life, giving rise to others; protectiveness, desperation, joy, relief and greed. He wants Xia where he can guard her, watch over her; his instincts are completely unwilling to let her wander off and disappear on him.

With that in mind, he shunshins forward and slams the senbon deeply into a pressure point on her neck. Sasuke knows from experience said point causes the target to fall unconscious- a failsafe in case she has an above average resistance to poisons. Xia smashes a palm strike into his sternum in retaliation, sending him flying across the river. Wheezing for air, she grabs the senbon and pulls it out with a wince then levels a glare at Sasuke.

"What the hell?! You fucking son of a bitch!" Xia roars, charging him.

Sasuke gathers himself, unblinking. Xia makes it three steps away from him when the sedative kicks in. She staggers, legs slipping into the river as her chakra control falters, drowsiness swamping her senses.

"Whaa-?" She groans before her eyes roll into the back of their sockets.

Sasuke grabs her before she falls fully into the river, hoisting her onto his back. As a precaution he sheathes her sword into his belt before tying her hands together. He puts his head through the loop her arms make and settles her dead weight carefully before racing back the way they came.

_Back with Team Seven…_

"I hear the bells!" Naruto whispers, readying to chase them.

Samar grabs his arm tightly and shakes her head.

"It's a clone." She tells him quietly.

Naruto and Sakura blink at her matter-of-fact statement. Sakura narrows her eyes as Naruto stares at her in awe.

"Samar-chan, you tell it's a clone from here? How are you doing that?" Naruto whispers excitedly.

Samar sighs in her mind and thinks about how to explain it to them without giving everything away.

"My uncle figured out a method to tell the difference and taught me how to sense that difference." She answers simply.

Naruto nods sagely while Sakura gives her a considering frown.

"Which direction is Kakashi-sensei then?" Sakura asks, flexing her fingers.

Samar focuses her senses and looks for Kakashi's magoi- she discovers it near a river. She silently points in the direction she knows Kakashi is.

"Yosh!" Naruto whisper shouts excitedly, pumped up again.

Samar smiles at his antics and rises, checking her equipment automatically as she glides through the underbrush. Sakura and Naruto swiftly catch up and Samar matches their pace, tracking all the chakra and magoi in their vicinity. They near the river and Naruto forms more shadow clones to flush Kakashi into the open. Sakura assists by smashing the ground apart while Samar flanks Kakashi, cutting off his access to the river.

Kakashi is pleasantly surprised by the ease the trio has shown tracking him- he can guess it has to be one of the two girls who is a sensor. Naruto is not what anyone would call a natural sensor. What surprises him more is the nearly seamless teamwork his former students and the newcomer, Samar, exhibit. Breaking out of his musings, Kakashi flips to avoid Samar's knives and lands on the river. Her eyes widen when Kakashi's hands fly through familiar hand signs and she explodes into motion, yanking both Sakura and Naruto out of the way of the water dragon.

Her own hands blur and she counters with a water wall, blunting the damage and protecting her teammates. Kakashi gives her an appraising stare before eye-smiling at them.

"Second lesson: ninjutsu."

Samar smiles at him and her hands flurry through her own hand signs, shaping a water prison. Kakashi avoids it and completes the hand signs for an impressive fire jutsu- Samar counters with her own fire jutsu, canceling out his attack. Naruto and Sakura give her surprised glances as Samar defends against Kakashi's ninjutsu. Samar gives Sakura a quick glance and nods towards Kakashi.

Sakura's eyebrows shoot up but then she grins and charges forth, trusting Samar and Naruto to have her back. Kakashi's Sharingan whirls as he tracks Sakura and keeps an eye on her teammates as they provide support. Sakura nearly takes Kakashi's head off with a punch, shattering the ground instead. Naruto, meanwhile, has two of his clones help him form two Rasengans and dispels them when finished, charging into the fray.

Kakashi avoids Sakura and substitutes with a log to evade Naruto, but has to immediately defend when Samar shunshins right next to him and slashes at the bells.

"Maa, you're a quick one!" Kakashi compliments her, blocking her with a kunai.

"How nice of you to say so," Samar demurs, disengaging and slashing at his waist.

Kakashi whips out a second kunai to counter her strike, narrowing his eyes as she suddenly flips one of her blades into a reverse grip. The change in grip allows her to brace better against the attacks while lessening the chance of losing fingers. Naruto quickly joins them, using a barrage of clones and taijutsu, giving Samar a much needed breather. Sakura follows a moment later, throwing an entire tree at Kakashi with enough force to mow down the forest behind him.

Kakashi uses the confusion to disappear, much to their collective annoyance.

"Augh! He ran away again!" Naruto yells, pulling at his hair.

Samar sighs, leaning over her knees as sweat soaks her clothing. Sakura glances at her, concerned but still wary.

"Samar-san, are you alright?" Sakura asks in a low voice.

Samar glances up at her and nods determinedly.

"I'll be fine- I just need to rest a little." She tells the kunoichi.

Sakura narrows her eyes and puts her hands on her hips.

"How low is your chakra?" She demands.

Samar can't quite hide a wince, confirming Sakura's suspicions. Rolling her eyes, Sakura crouches next to Samar and uses her medical ninjutsu to determine how bad it is. It takes her a few seconds but she quickly notes that Samar is at a fifth of her typical capacity- otherwise the other girl is fine. Sakura pulls out a soldier pill and hands it to Samar.

"Here, this will refill your chakra reserves." She explains.

Samar blinks, looking down at the pill then at Sakura.

"What is it?"

Sakura and Naruto stare at her in surprise.

"Samar-chan, it's a soldier pill! You crunch it up and it gives you a bunch of chakra back!" Naruto interjects enthusiastically.

Samar's mouth silently says 'oh' before she hesitantly eats the pill, gagging comically at the horrible taste. Naruto covers her mouth with his hand and gives her a sunny smile.

"Swallow it down or it's not gonna work, dattebayo!"

Samar glares at him but does as she's told, shuddering at the taste. Sakura sympathetically gives her a sip from her canteen to wash the taste out of her mouth. Samar wipes her mouth with the back of her hand, grimacing.

"That… was awful." She states bluntly.

Sakura nods in sympathy.

"I'm working on my own recipe that won't taste as bad- but it's not perfected yet." She adds mournfully.

"If you can manage to make that not taste like camel dung, I will be happy to try it." Samar assures her, getting to her feet.

She hides her discomfort as new chakra bubbles up from inside of her and turns her attention to finding the elusive Kakashi. After a moment she locates him and points in his direction, renewing their hunt. Soon after, the forest sounds abruptly fade, setting Samar on edge. Sakura and Naruto notice the changes while Samar feels out the area.

_A genjutsu- not a very high level one either._ She analyzes when the sounds of someone dragging themselves along reaches their ears.

A boy, about twelve years old, stumbles towards them with multiple stab wounds all over his body. When he lifts his face Samar freezes in surprise.

"Izuna-oji-san?!" She whispers before abruptly smacking herself for being so careless.

Sakura gives her a quick glance before refocusing on the 'boy' before them.

"Naruto… Sakura… help me!" He begs, pulling himself closer.

Naruto bites his lip while Sakura stares pityingly at the illusion.

"I escaped Orochimaru… help me, please!" The boy continues to beg, staggering closer still.

Naruto sighs and Samar readies her chakra to dispel the genjutsu before he does something stupid.

"It's too bad that he's not the real Sasuke." He tells them, agitating his chakra.

Sakura nods sadly as she also breaks the genjutsu.

"That's not nice, Sensei. But you're basically repeating our old bell test!" She reprimands Kakashi, who sweat drops.

Samar breathes out a sigh of relief and breaks the genjutsu easily.

"Was that supposed to be the third lesson, genjutsu?" She wonders aloud, smiling directly at Kakashi.

"Maa…" Kakashi winces, rubbing his head.

Samar doesn't waste time shunshinning to the tree and uses a water slicer jutsu to cut through the trunk, toppling it. Kakashi bursts out of his cover and throws kunai to distract Naruto and Sakura as he escapes. Samar surges after him and increases her speed, dancing close to him and targeting the small of his back. Kakashi substitutes with a log but Samar pushes off of it and reverses her direction, tracking him as he tries to hide farther away.

She's about to give chase when her mother's voice rings through her head.

_Never abandon your comrades._

Samar stops, regretting she had been getting too into the chase and returns to Naruto and Sakura. They hadn't moved very far and she rejoins them.

"I'm sorry, I almost left you both behind." She apologizes.

Sakura blinks and Naruto grins in relief.

"We were worried, dattebayo!" He tells her mock sternly.

Samar winces and bows to them.

"I am sorry for allowing my excitement to leave you in a potentially vulnerable position. I will do my best to not do so again." She vows.

"Eh?! Ah, um, Samar-chan get up please!" Naruto asks her frantically.

Samar peeks up at him through her hair and Sakura pulls her fully upright with a fond smile.

"Apology accepted- now let's catch Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura orders.

Naruto and Samar grin, one more brightly than the other.

"Hai!" They says together.

_In Amegakure…_

Pain stares down at the scroll Itachi had handed him, his ringed eyes narrowing as he puzzles out the meaning behind the symbols.

"… This is not a typical sealing formula- it's a **summoning** seal as well." He informs the pair before glancing down at their unconscious prisoner.

"You said he appeared when your blood hit the scroll, Itachi?" Pain asks.

"He did." Itachi admits stoically.

"But it sure was a surprise to see him flash Sharingan- looks like the Uchiha have a separate branch of the family somewhere." Kisame interjects.

Itachi restrains his impulse to trap Kisame in a genjutsu while Pain's eyebrows shoot up in query.

"He has the Sharingan?" Pain clarifies, his interest perked.

"Sure does- though he's probably the most expressive Uchiha I've ever see. He actually has a sense of humor!" Kisame grins.

"He has some strange abilities though- he can fly, make a chakra shield and set off explosions Deidara would fangirl over. Decent wind and fire jutsus, along with the basics." He adds with a shrug.

Itachi resists the urge to face palm but knows Pain likely will be intrigued enough to keep Keiichi alive- for now. Internally he is unsettled, unsure of how to feel. Relief? Shock? Indifference? Itachi absently keeps an eye on his clan brother- he still hasn't woken since Kisame drowned him but the strange veins on his face had not faded. Itachi stamps down his concern and keeps his face expressionless.

Pain folds his hands and leans back in his chair, contemplating potential scenarios before making a decision.

"Lay him flat." He orders, standing up.

Itachi and Kisame comply, rearranging Keiichi's limp body until he is laying face up on the floor. Pain pulls out a kunai and slices off Keiichi's shirt (not that there was much left of it), revealing his torso. A knock breaks the silence in the office as Pain invites the knocker to enter. Konan walks in with a jar of ink and several paintbrushes, offering them to Pain. He deftly unscrews the lid and glances at the three of them.

"Infuse your chakra into the ink." He instructs, doing so himself.

Konan, Itachi and Kisame add their chakra to the liquid, which glows dark red before fading back to black. Pain nods and dips one of the brushes into the ink. He draws a seal on Keiichi's heart, frowning as he painstakingly double checks his work. It forms an Uzumaki spiral with a ring of indecipherable writing circling it. Then he touches the seal with one hand while forming the seal of confrontation with the other.

Itachi feels the hair on the back of his neck stand up as Pain channels chakra into the seal, making it glow crimson before it fades back to black. Keiichi remains completely unconscious during the entire event, blissfully unaware of what is going on. Konan takes the fuinjutsu tools away after Pain hands them to her and exits. Pain goes back behind his desk, resuming his seat and stares at Kisame and Itachi.

"What'd ya do to him?" Kisame asks, glancing at Keiichi.

"I placed a seal that will kill him if he is more than half a kilometer away from one of the Akatsuki at any given time. The seal restricts him from attacking or killing any of us, unless it is for training purposes. It also prevents him from tampering with the seal or allowing anyone aside from myself, Konan, or you two to alter it."

Itachi frowns at Pain.

"What do you intend to do with him?" He quietly asks.

Pain fixes Itachi and Kisame with a calculating stare before speaking.

"To use him."

_At Orochimaru's base…_

"Ah, Sasuke-kun, that took longer than I expected." Orochimaru chides him.

Sasuke hides his distaste as he drops Xia into a cell, ignoring a tiny part of him saying this was **wrong**, he shouldn't be doing this to a clan sister. Kabuto attaches the chakra suppressing shackles to her wrists then connects those to the wall. Orochimaru's eye gleam at the sight of his new specimen, his tongue licking his lips hungrily.

"What're you going to do with her?" Sasuke asks curtly, fingering the hilt of her sword.

Orochimaru spares him a glance and the cruel gleam makes Sasuke's hair stand on end.

"Examine her- her blood, chakra, abilities: **everything**. Then I'll give her a little _present_." He hisses.

Sasuke resists the urge to clamp a hand over his curse mark, feeling it throb as Orochimaru flexes his chakra. A sense that maybe he made the wrong choice grows inside his gut as he watches the rogue Sannin look over Xia like a slab of tasty meat.

"We'll begin tests tomorrow." Orochimaru decides, exiting the cell.

Kabuto follows, pushing up his glasses as he trails behind his master. Sasuke is the last to leave, hesitant to leave Xia alone but knows if he doesn't Orochimaru will notice something odd. Deep inside himself Sasuke knows that Xia won't be understanding when Orochimaru begins his tests. Snorting derisively at himself, Sasuke leaves her, telling himself this is the only way she will stay.

_Back with Team Seven…_

"Dammit! Kakashi-sensei isn't going easy on us!" Naruto complains, rubbing his head.

Samar nods absently, scanning the woods around them again.

"That Sharingan of his is a real pain! Ugh! Ninjutsu, taijutsu, genjutsu- he's too damn diverse!" Naruto grumbles, frowning.

"Not only does it let him copy our jutsus, we can't get the drop on him while he has it uncovered." Sakura sighs.

Samar frowns thoughtfully.

"It does seem to drain him- keeping it active should be using up chakra at a faster rate than normal. That's a potential weakness."

"True… but honestly we don't have much time left. He's running the clock down." Sakura reminds them.

"A weakness, a weakness… oh! Sakura-chan, Samar-chan I know how to get Kakashi-sensei to close his eyes!" Naruto grins excitedly.

Sakura perks up while Samar tilts her head.

"What did you think of, Naruto?" Sakura demands, leaning closer to him.

Naruto grins at her.

"It's a secret~!"

"Naruto!"

"Okay, okay! Sakura-chan, think about it, what's Kakashi-sensei's weakness?"

"… Ah! The Icha Icha book!" She whisper yells.

Naruto nods enthusiastically.

"If I threaten to spoil the book-"

"He'll cover his ears!" Sakura giggles.

Samar smiles thoughtfully.

"And he'll close his eyes too- because he can read lips, right?" She questions.

Sakura and Naruto grin at her in answer. Samar muffles a laugh and stands up.

"Kakashi is over that way." She points and the Konoha natives nod.

It doesn't take long before they find him and launch a frontal assault with Samar cutting off his retreat. Samar found it very funny how desperate Kakashi was to not have his (apparently) new book spoiled for him- a fact Naruto and Sakura take full advantage of. They grin as they hold up their bells when Naruto suddenly realizes something.

"Ah! Samar-chan, you don't have a bell!"

Samar shakes her head and gives him a warm smile.

"You're right I don't- but, if you recall, I am being tested on my **capabilities**. Not just if I am able to work well with more experienced shinobi, as you were. I do not need a bell and frankly, even **if** I needed one I wouldn't take it if it means condemning one of my teammates. It doesn't sit right with me." She explains simply.

Sakura, Naruto and Kakashi gaze at her with wide or assessing eyes. Samar laughs a little at their expressions.

"I've shocked you it seems- but my family does not leave anyone behind if we can help it. It's against who we are."

"Family, huh? What're they like?" Naruto asks eagerly, throwing an arm over her shoulders.

Samar hums, thinking of how to describe her wild family as they walk back to the edge of the training grounds.

"Protective, fierce, stubborn, cunning, funny, warm, supportive, loyal… We stick together and we're stronger for it." She adds when Sakura gives her an arched eyebrow.

"Ne, why did you say 'Izuna-oji-san' when you saw the genjutsu of Sasuke?" Naruto presses.

Samar laughs awkwardly.

"Ah, well, he looks very similar to my uncle if you change his hair and age." She explains as they reach their starting point.

Tsunade, Shizune and Jiraiya glance over the group and focus on the two bells that Naruto and Sakura are holding. Tsunade fixes a questioning stare on Samar, who merely smiles as Naruto propels her forward.

"Tsunade-baa-san, we got the bells!" Naruto yells excitedly.

Tsunade gives him and Sakura a small nod of approval, making both teammates glow with happiness. She glances at Kakashi with a stern expression.

"Kakashi, report." She orders, glaring at the silver-haired jonin.

"They pass!" He says with his trademark eye smile.

"As for Samar-chan… She prioritizes teammates over herself, so she also passes the bell test~!" Kakashi adds, ruffling her hair.

Samar's face turns pink as she tries to lean away from Kakashi's form of affection, hindered by Naruto's side hug. Sakura muffles a giggle at Samar's predicament while Naruto remains oblivious. Kakashi's eye sparkles at his discovery and he redoubles his efforts to mess up her hair- he's not at all annoyed by how she ran him ragged during the test. Eventually Samar has enough and substitutes Naruto into her place, startling the blond.

With a huff she goes to stand with Sakura, wincing as she attempts to fix the bird's nest that is her hair. Tsunade shares a glance with Jiraiya and makes a decision.

"Naruto Uzumaki, Sakura Haruno, Samar Kouga- congratulations on passing the test. Sakura, Naruto, you will be on Team Kakashi. Samar, welcome to Konohagakure. For the time being I will keep you on stand-by while you settle in. Any questions?"

Naruto and Sakura shake their heads while Samar nods. Tsunade gives Samar an expecting look.

"Yes, Samar?"

"Pardon me, Lady Tsunade, but I do not know where to buy anything in Konoha." Tsunade blinks before sighing.

"I suppose you wouldn't- Sakura!"

"Yes, shishou?" Sakura asks, standing attention.

"Show Samar where to buy things- food, clothes, necessities. Get her acquainted with Konoha. She'll be staying in one of the apartments for the time being- Shizune will get you the address and keys later. Dismissed!"

**And that's a wrap! Next time will be in the Past and things are gonna heat up~! Please review and comment, let me know what you think so far! Until next time!**


	5. Fate twisted (Past)

**Hello everybody~! I'm back and here's another chapter with Ilona and the rest of the Founders in the PAST. As always I don't own Naruto but I do own my OCs and plot twists! Please send me your thoughts and comments, I love reading them!**

**Side note- I have received questions about what my uploading schedule is. The answer is 'I do it when I finish a chapter, edited it and I'm satisfied.' Which can be difficult (my muse runs away- A LOT) so I ask for patience! I will manage it, but it may not be consistent as far as a regular schedule goes. I have found working on the chapters for this fanfic goes smoother if I work on both upcoming Past and Present segments, so at least they will be uploaded relatively close together.**

**Now, here are my warnings~! There will be blood, gore, violence and swearing, along with partial nudity (it's brief and nothing happens- YET). YES, this is a rated M fanfic for a reason, I don't want this story deleted T.T**

**Now, onwards with the plot~!**

"No."

"But Sasha-!"

"No."

"We'll cover more ground!"

"No."

"Yes we would!"

"No."

"Why are you being so stubborn about this?!"

"So we can stay alive- we still have at least four days of travel before we reach your clan's home and I am not having you die on me because you want to travel during the daytime."

"Mou! We would cover more ground and we would get there faster!"

"And run the risk of running into an active battle- which you are still not completely ready for."

"That's not true!"

"I have yet to see evidence otherwise."

"… How about this? You accompany me inside the Uchiha compound and we keep traveling by night."

"No."

"Aw, come on! My brother would want to meet you!"

"**No."**

"Dammit Sasha! I'm not walking any further at night if you don't agree to meet with my brother!"

"…"

_Unbelievable. I can't afford to meet Madara but Izuna seems so damn insistent on getting me to meet with him! Dammit, which is the lesser of the two evils… Meeting the older, over protective brother who's already met me once and might figure out who I am or trying to escort Izuna through hostile territory during the day?_

She grits her teeth before hissing her reply.

"Nap now, we go at dawn and we are not stopping for anything- do you understand me?" She snaps, glaring at Izuna who has a sunny smile on his face.

"Hai, Sasha-chan!"

"Call me chan again and I will happily beat you to a pulp once we reach your home." She warns him, roasting some roots in the coals of their tiny camp fire.

Izuna grins unrepentantly at her.

"So I can call you Sasha-chan all the way home?"

"No. Not if you want to have teeth."

"Aw…"

…

Ilona frowns as they sneak through the woods, her worry of being spotted increasing. She doesn't like these forests- too much can conceal themselves in the dense woodlands. Clenching her jaw, she scans the area around them, listening for unusual sounds or movement. Izuna seems more at ease than she is, but that might be because she had to cede leading to him. Ilona doesn't really know where they are and it irks her more than she cares to admit.

They don't have any problems or run ins with enemy shinobi, much to her relief. Izuna is brighter, more animated at the end of their march, pleased with their progress. Ilona wonders idly if his behavior is contagious. The second day passes much like the first, but Ilona does not relax, staying up to keep watch despite Izuna's demands for her to rest.

Izuna tells her the next morning they will reach the Uchiha compound by the evening, assuming nothing goes wrong. Inwardly Ilona is pleased to know they are near the end of their journey, but something in the air makes her wary. There is a tension, much like a storm about to break, and it only grows stronger as they near their goal. Izuna seems to notice it when they near what he informs her to be an open grassland.

It is not until Ilona hears a familiar clang of metal on metal that Ilona realizes what she had been sensing all along.

"Izuna, there's a battle ahead! We need to hide, **now!"** She hisses, grabbing his bicep.

Izuna stiffens and uses his senses to feel out who is ahead of them: his eyes widen in joy and worry.

"It's my clan- and those damn Senju! I can sense my brother fighting! I need to get to him, now!"

He breaks her grip on his arm and shunshins towards the battlefield, heedless of his lack of armor or proper weaponry as he rushes to Madara's side.

"Fucking little-! Dammit, Izuna!" Ilona swears, chasing after him.

It doesn't take long for her to break out of the cover of the forest into an open grassland. She stops and scans the battleground, searching for the idiot and spots him fighting a man with white spiky hair. Grimly she runs, drawing her sword and deflecting a few kunai as she darts past the struggling clansmen. Izuna is holding his own for the time being but she can detect the fatigue in his limbs as he holds off the 'Senju'.

She quickens her pace, ducking a stray katana and finally reaches the fight as the Senju backs up suddenly. Ilona doesn't think- she kicks Izuna out of the way and intercepts the blow that would have sliced Izuna nearly in two. Her opponent stares at her, surprise flickering in his red eyes and then they narrow. He disengages and goes for Izuna again but Ilona slams her blade into his near the hilt, reinforcing hers with magoi, and **shatters** his katana.

The sound seems to ring out in the sudden silence across the battlefield.

"Izuna- go back to your clan. **NOW."** She orders, locking eyes with her opponent.

Izuna opens his mouth to protest but Ilona doesn't bother to listen and presses her advantage, her sword flashing as she engages the enemy. The Senju pulls out a kunai and blocks her first blow, wincing at the strength behind it but Ilona isn't done. She uses the ricochet to flick her blade into a complex pattern, slashing his face, hands and feet which he blocks or dodges.

Inwardly she is impressed by his reflexes but coldly focuses on cutting him apart for trying to hurt her charge. He shunshins away but Ilona manipulates her magoi for a similar feat, flashing inside his guard. Sadly, her opponent had already seized another sword but Ilona adjusts easily. He attacks with a horizontal blow but Ilona deflects it contemptuously, stepping inside his attack range to get even closer. Red eyes widen in shock as he is forced to leap back to avoid a strike that would have impaled him.

Ilona watches him calmly and he takes the opportunity to cast a jutsu.

"Genjutsu: Infinite Darkness!" He yells and everything turns black.

Ilona feels a flicker of surprise but doesn't allow fear to claim her, readjusting her sword for a more neutral position. The darkness doesn't scare her- living in the unlit pits of the Coliseum cured that particular fear. She closes her eyes and stretches her senses the way the Yambala tribe taught her, feeling the magoi in the world around her. It seems to ripple around her and she can sense a bright presence to her left, approaching swiftly.

It moves in the way she associates a diagonal downwards cut and blocks appropriately, the jarring of their swords reassuring her. He backs away and tries for another blow, this time low and aimed for her legs. Ilona jumps over his sword and kicks him viciously in the face. She almost grins at the satisfying crack of his jaw but engages again, driving her foot into his torso. He staggers to his feet, blocking the kick, and they exchange a series of blows before Ilona unexpectedly sweeps his legs with her foot. The genjutsu collapses and Ilona opens her eyes, spotting her opponent.

He gets to his feet and glares hatefully at her, which she meets with a calm stare. There is a moment where the world seems to still then he shunshins at an angle, aiming to stab her and use the momentum to rip her side open. Ilona waits a beat then spins on her back foot, letting him pass her harmlessly before bringing the hilt of her sword down on his skull. He collapses- and an explosion of smoke occurs, making Ilona grateful for her shemagh.

Her violet eyes narrow as she tries to locate the tricky man- and a sudden, familiar pain erupts in her left side. Immediately she lashes out with a kick, stopping his forward momentum and grabs his katana with her other hand, holding it in place.

'_MY KING!'_ Both of her djinn scream but she doesn't have time to reassure them.

Her free elbow whips back and connects with the shinobi's face, crushing his nose. He grunts and she can tell he has released the blade, staggering back. She turns and casually withdraws the katana impaling her, blood gleaming along its length before meeting his crimson eyes. He is crouching a little ways from her, blood pouring out of his nose, apparently surprised she is still standing.

"Not bad." She tells him coolly, startling him.

"But you failed to follow through." She reprimands him.

The katana in her hand glistens wetly as she stalks towards the white-haired shinobi.

"You-!" He starts to say but she doesn't give him a chance to finish, stabbing the katana at his unguarded leg and thrusting it deep into the ground.

"I don't recommend moving." She tells him simply before abruptly jumping back.

Another shinobi, wearing the same symbol as the white-haired one, rushes her again with a katana. Ilona nearly snorts in contempt.

_His form is horrible- and his guard has too many holes._ An easy kill, her mind whispers to her as she brings her sword into a basic stance.

He chops at her head but she neatly evades it and meets his eyes.

"Fool." She remarks before cutting off his sword arm at the elbow.

It flies free and the shinobi falls screaming, clutching at the gushing stump. That seems to set the rest of the clan off as a knot of them charge her, throwing shuriken and kunai. Ilona whisks off her over robe and snaps it between her and the enemy. The projectiles are deflected, falling harmlessly to ground with the over robe as she assesses these five new foes. All of them are angry, close to a battle frenzy as they close in on her. Ilona crouches and suddenly explodes into motion, charging them.

Her actions clearly surprised them and Ilona moves quickly, slamming a stiffened hand into one man's throat and cutting another's leg. They collapse, one unable to breathe and the other clutching his limb as it bleeds heavily. The other three merely grow angrier but do synchronize their attacks. One katana from the left, one from above and one from the right.

Ilona smiles.

She kicks off, spinning her body with enough speed to simultaneously block and then redirect the three katanas towards the person on their left. One wises up and leaps back, barely avoiding his clansmen's fates. The other two are not as fortunate; one loses an eye while the other has a deep wound on his arm. She tilts her head, purple eyes glittering dangerously as she surveys her handiwork.

"Are you done?" Ilona demands coldly.

The surviving Senju glance at each other then at her- she can read the hesitation in their eyes as they calculate the likelihood of what it would take to kill her. A movement out of the corner of her eye has her bringing her sword into an attack positon, ready for yet more bloodshed. Hashi-rama holds his hands up in a peaceful gesture, watching her warily. Ilona frowns behind her shemagh, tense.

'_My king, be careful! You are still bleeding!'_ Gaia reminds her.

'I know- luckily it hit scar tissue, so the damage isn't anything I haven't had before.' She soothes, warily watching Hashi-rama.

"I think that's enough bloodshed for the day- I'll take my clansmen home now." He says reassuringly.

Ilona considers his words then nods and walks away, gathering her mauled over robe as she goes.

"Good, go- I won't hesitate to kill anyone who continues to fight." She calls over her shoulder.

"Anija! We can't just let her go!" The whitehaired shinobi complains.

"Yes we will- she's already hurt you, Tobi, and if she kept going the Uchiha would have taken advantage of the chaos. We're retreating." Hashi-rama orders his clan.

Ilona glances over her shoulder, noting they **are** actually leaving before someone slams into her. She chokes back a groan as pressure is put on her wound and nearly punches the asshole before recognizing Izuna. He stares at her with a mixture of fury, relief and disbelief then starts to shake her shoulders.

"Are you **crazy?!**" He snarls, his eyes flashing red.

Ilona flicks him in the forehead harshly.

"No." She replies curtly, brushing off his hands as she absently cleans her sword with her over robe.

Izuna gapes at her.

"What were you thinking, fighting Tobirama Senju?! He almost killed you, Sasha!" He yells.

"That's how wars are. People die." She reminds him, sheathing her sword.

Izuna grows angrier at her casual statement.

"But it's not your war! Hell, why did you even interfere?! He** stabbed** you!" Izuna exclaims, pointing at her bloody side.

Ilona rolls her eyes heavenward for patience.

"I am not exactly helpless, Izuna. Besides, I hurt him more than he hurt me, you worrywart."

"Worry-! You were impaled! Stabbed! Skewered! Punctured! Gored!" He roars, clenching his fists.

"It didn't hit anything vital, so stop screaming. And before you continue yelling at me, if I hadn't **interfered** as you put it, he would have killed you." Ilona snaps, giving him a glare of her own.

"…!" Izuna bristles, opening his mouth but Ilona cuts him off.

"I told you not to rush into battle- you've barely recovered from your injuries but did you listen? **No**, you did **not** and you almost **died** because you had not recuperated enough. So don't you **dare** lecture me when the reckless one here is **you!**" She hisses, poking him in the chest.

A loud cough catches their attention and they both turn to glare at the idiot who interrupted them. Madara raises an eyebrow at both of them, the Uchiha clan behind him snickering or just watching with wide eyes at the pair.

"Would one of you tell me what is going on here?" He demands, folding his arms.

Ilona and Izuna blink at the change in subject before Izuna scratches his head ruefully.

"Ah, Madara-nii, this is Sasha-san. She saved me after the mess at Sumisu and helped me heal before escorting me back." He explains.

Ilona dips her head slightly in greeting. Madara frowns, eyeing her closely.

"Are you a shinobi?" He asks.

"I am not." She answers calmly, surprising the group.

"What-!"

"But she beat Tobirama!"

"There's no way!"

"How the hell-!"

"Damn that's scary…"

"But she's female!"

The Uchiha men clamor, their voices overlapping. Ilona narrows her eyes at the one who is most surprised by her gender.

"Women can kill, sometimes better than men, so save the ego for someone that actually cares." She retorts, expression hard as she glares at each of the idiots before her.

The Uchiha clansmen wilt under her gaze, much to Madara's and Izuna's amusement. Madara approaches them, inwardly relieved that Izuna is safe and bows to Ilona, much to his clan's shock.

"Thank you for taking care of Izuna- he's the only brother I have left and I glad to know that you were looking out for him."

Ilona blinks in surprise before her expression softens slightly.

"I'm glad you are reunited." She says simply.

Madara straightens and gives her a charming grin, catching her off-guard with the humor in his onyx eyes.

"Since you were hurt protecting my younger brother, I insist that you return with us and have our healers take a look at that stab wound." He commands.

Izuna brightens at the idea and grins at Ilona.

"That's a great idea, Madara-nii!" He exclaims.

Ilona pales and takes a step back, shaking her head.

"I appreciate the offer but I will be fine, Madara-san. Make certain Izuna rests and doesn't participate in any battles for at least two weeks: he should be at full strength by then." She deflects, easing back towards the woods.

Izuna and Madara frown at her.

"We insist." They tell her.

"It is dishonorable to allow you to leave while injured on our behalf." Madara adds, his eyes starting to turn crimson.

'_My king, it might be best to go with them for the time being or they will grow suspicious.'_ Metis warns her.

'Dammit.' Ilona sighs mentally before nodding in defeat.

"Very well." She acquiesces less than gracefully.

Izuna beams and Madara seems satisfied as the two brothers flank her, the rest of the Uchiha forming a living wall between outside threats and their clan head. Ilona glances up at the sky, wondering how her life always seems to land her in these situations.

…

Ilona is pleasantly surprised by the Uchiha compound- its style reminds her of the buildings she saw in Kou. A small thing, but it makes her relax at the sight of something vaguely familiar. Izuna chatters at her, regaling her with facts and snippets of his childhood with Madara. Ilona listens, learning they had had three younger brothers, all dead in war against the Senju or other clans.

The Uchiha at the compound are gratified and cheerful when they spot Izuna, yelling greetings and questions of where he had been. Izuna waves them off with a teasing smile, promising to tell them later. Ilona can sense many eyes watching her; some curious, some unfriendly, some speculating but all watching her every move. She keeps her body language relaxed as she is shown to the healer's area of the compound.

"Check her wounds and make certain she lives." Madara orders, scaring the medics.

Ilona barely refrains from rolling her eyes at his high-handedness as he exits, practically dragging Izuna out with him. The healers approach tentatively but Ilona interrupts their approach with a raised hand.

"I can undress myself. If I need assistance, I will ask." She tells them, unfastening her sword belt.

The two Uchiha women- one older with greying hair and the other young, perhaps fourteen, nod and give her space. Ilona methodically removes her vest and tunic, dragging them over her head with a wince as her wound pulls. She drops the bloodied clothing to the floor, standing only in her breast band and her trousers. Ilona carefully leaves her Metal Vessels in place: Metis in her hairpin and Gaia in a fire opal necklace as she kneels on the floor.

"Ah-!" The younger girl gasps, wide-eyed.

The older healer stares mutely at the scars mottling Ilona's back, abdomen and arms- the frontal scars from slashes or old stab wounds but the ones on her back are long, hatch-work grooves from some weapon she doesn't recognize. Most of the scars are older, hinting at years of fighting and abuse, while the freshest wound overlaps a former stabbing. Ilona turns her head, expression wry.

"Ugly, isn't it?"

"Y-Yes!" The younger girl replies without thinking before clapping her hands over her mouth in horror.

"Asami!" The older healer barks.

Ilona chuckles, waving off the offense.

"I'm not offended. It's true, after all." She says detachedly.

Asami gapes at her openly, slowly coming closer.

"Why do you have these?" She asks, tracing the patchwork of scars with her eyes.

"… Because I fought for what I wanted." Ilona replies after struggling with what to say.

"Oh…" Asami's voice trails off, sensing she might have overstepped her bounds.

Ilona sighs, shaking her head and glances at the two Uchiha.

"I need hot water, clean thread, a needle, a lit candle, clean rags, a poultice to stop the bleeding and something to purge the wound of infections." She fires off her list, surprising the two healers.

Asami glances at her mentor, Kotone, who nods and races to fetch the aforementioned items. Kotone stares silently at Ilona for a moment before speaking.

"You are very strange, traveler."

Ilona's gaze flickers to her before humming noncommittally.

"Do you know the healing arts?" Kotone presses.

"Enough to survive." Ilona answers quietly.

Kotone falls silent, recognizing the look in Ilona's eyes: weariness and nostalgia from seeing too much too quickly. Asami returns swiftly, laying out the items on the tatami and handing herbs to Kotone to grind into paste. Ilona reaches for the water and rags, systematically cleaning the frontal entry point, going as far as to dredge the injury. Kotone bites back her natural response to order the young woman to _lay down_ and _leave the healing to the healers._

Ilona drops the used cloth next to her and grabs another, soaking it before handing it to Asami.

"Clean it and clean it well, don't be afraid to dig in- my nerves are deadened in that area." She instructs the younger girl.

To Asami's credit, she does as she's told, wincing at the perceived pain she is inflicting on Ilona. Ilona barely notices as she grabs the needle and runs it through the candle flame several times. When it starts to glow red she nods in satisfaction and threads it before looking at Kotone.

"Have the paste ready." She warns before starting to stitch the gash closed.

Asami watches, fascinated, as a neat line of thread pulls the wound shut. Ilona snips off the excess and cleans the needle again before rethreading it. She meets Asami's eyes with a contemplative look.

"How good are you at sewing?"

"Eh?"

…

Madara bemusedly observes Izuna work himself into a mothering tizzy.

"They should be done by now! What's taking so long-?" He grumbles, pacing back and forth across their private meeting room.

"Izuna, sit. The healers will be done when they're done." Madara firmly reminds him.

"But what if the wound got infected? Or she's bleeding out and they can't get it to stop-!" Izuna rants, pacing faster and faster.

"Izuna-!" Madara sets down his teacup.

"I need to check on her!" Izuna decides and shunshins out of the room.

Madara swears and chases after him, only catching up when Izuna is about to open the door.

"-I can't possibly!" A young girl's voice protests through the screen.

"Yes you can- it's like sewing a seam shut. Stop worrying and get to work." Sasha's voice replies, exasperated.

"But I'm the apprentice healer! I've never done this before!"

"Well, you get to learn a new skill. It's bound to be useful." Sasha retorts.

"Please have Kotone-sensei do it!" The girl's voice pleads.

"She's busy and you have two free hands- now stop** arguing** with me and sew the damn stab wound shut!" Sasha snaps.

Izuna and Madara exchange questioning glances as the girl grumbles before apparently doing as instructed.

"Kotone-san, how does it look?" Sasha asks the older healer after a lengthy pause.

"Uneven, but that's to be expected." Kotone replies dryly.

"Is it still bleeding?"

"No."

"Is it closed?"

"Yes."

"Good- apply the paste once Asami-san is finished." Sasha orders.

"Hn. You seem very familiar with caring for injuries." Kotone remarks, a scraping sound accompanying her voice.

"Necessity is a good motivation- ouch!" Sasha hisses.

Izuna can't hold himself back any longer and slides the door open.

"Sasha-!" Izuna calls worriedly, then freezes, his face turning bright red.

Madara sees the shocked expressions of Kotone-sensei and Asami while Sasha seems amused by their intrusion. Asami shrieks, waving her hands ineffectively to ward off their prying stares while Kotone sighs loudly. Sasha twists carefully to look at them, raising her eyebrows. Madara feels his eyebrow shoot up at the multiple scars marring her back and arms. He had noted the faint scars on her hands and face earlier, of course, but it's staggering how many she actually has.

The wound in her side is already neatly stitched closed, but that's not what arrested Izuna's attention- Sasha is practically nude from the waist up save for a cloth binding. Admittedly her **assets** are facing the opposite direction and are bound, but that doesn't hide her lean muscles or trim waist from their gazes.

"Izuna-san, Madara-san. I had no idea you were so bold." Sasha says dryly.

Izuna flushes an even darker red and stumbles back. Madara huffs silently before taking control of the situation, ignoring the tiny voice in his head whispering all sorts of inappropriate things. He doesn't notice his ears are a little pink as he locks gazes with Kotone.

"Get Sasha-san suitable robes when you have finished." He orders before grabbing Izuna's collar and walking away.

"Izuna, I thought you traveled with her." He remarks when they are safely ensconced in the tea room again.

Izuna flushes.

"Yes, but I never saw her without that over robe of hers! There was, **is**, nothing going on- she would leave me alone to do my business or get dressed. Hell, I didn't know she was female until she pulled down her shemagh to eat!" Izuna babbles.

Madara snorts at Izuna's embarrassment before his face becomes serious.

"… Izuna, why did she escort you back?"

"She said Ginru asked her to bring me back. And…" Izuna hesitates before sighing.

"She said she wouldn't condemn someone to rot to death on the battlefield, not if she can help it. Although her 'help' would probably be in the form of a quick death if she deems the poor bastard too far gone."

Madara leans his chin against his fist, contemplating his unexpected guest.

"Do you trust her?"

Izuna pauses before nodding, a wry expression crossing his face.

"I do. Sasha's dependable, if a worrywart and critic, which just adds to her charm somehow. Why, what're you thinking?"

"… It wouldn't be a bad idea to have someone to keep an eye on you when I cannot." Madara says dryly.

"Nii-san! I'm an adult, dammit!" Izuna complains, pouting.

"And yet, if Sasha-san hadn't kicked you out of the way, you would be injured or worse!" Madara snaps harshly.

Izuna subsides, his pout turning into wince.

"I'm sorry." He mumbles, looking away from Madara.

Uncomfortable silence falls between the brothers until someone raps firmly on the sliding door.

"Who comes?" Madara challenges, resting his hand on a hidden kunai.

"Sasha, Madara-san." Sasha's voice replies coolly.

"Enter." Madara commands, not relaxing just yet.

The door slides and Sasha enters, wearing a navy blue yukata paired with white belt. Her mahogany hair is down and sways around her hips as she steps into the room, bowing slightly at both brothers. Without asking, she kneels near the doorway at an angle optimal for reacting quickly to outside threats while also not showing her back to the Uchiha. Her behavior makes Madara almost smile at her caution- _for one who is not a shinobi, she certainly understands how to watch her back._

Izuna beams at her.

"Sasha-chan~!"

"Izuna-san. What did I say about calling me 'chan'?" She demands, staring at him.

Izuna smiles widely.

"Not to~!"

"Do you remember what **else** I said in correlation to that?" She presses, exasperated.

Izuna opens his mouth, pauses, then frowns.

"Ah, not really." He admits sheepishly.

Sasha raises an eyebrow.

"Your memorization skills need work. Perhaps that is what you can work on while you fully recover, rather than doing combat drills. I said you may call me 'Sasha', not 'Sasha-chan'. " She reminds him bluntly.

Izuna sweat drops. Madara barely contains a snort. Sasha ignores both reactions before suddenly pinching Izuna's cheeks, tugging and twisting harshly.

"Wah ru doin?!" Izuna yelps, unsuccessfully trying to yank her hands off his face.

Madara glares and grabs Sasha's arm as she continues to pinch Izuna's cheeks.

"Unhand my brother!" Madara snarls at Sasha.

"Izuna-san did not listen to my warning and nearly ended up dead. He was a reckless fool so he gets a fool's punishment." Sasha answers coldly, releasing Izuna after giving an extra squeeze.

"I'm not a child!" Izuna complains loudly.

"Oh? You certainly act like one." Sasha replies blandly.

Izuna's face turns beet red and Madara coughs to cover up his laughter, anger fading. He masters himself before releasing her arm, his expression becoming grave.

"… Sasha-san, I must thank you again for saving my brother. We are in your debt." He bows low to show his gratitude.

Izuna follows suit, kowtowing to her.

…

Ilona stiffens in confusion, unsure of how to proceed. Gladiators weren't taught etiquette- only how to slaughter whatever enters the arena with them.

'What do I do?!' Ilona thinks frantically.

'_Accept their gratitude- do not say "it was nothing", that will insult them. You can use this as an opportunity to earn a map and a horse.'_ Metis advises her.

'… Alright, I'll try.' Ilona agrees reluctantly before clearing her throat awkwardly.

"Please sit up." Ilona says quietly.

Madara and Izuna raise their heads, their inquisitive stares boring into her. Ilona tries to relax but cannot bring herself to do so, remaining stiff as a board.

"I have three things I would appreciate assistance in gathering: a sturdy horse, a map and a few days' worth of supplies. You may consider your debt cleared if you help me find these items." She phrases carefully, watching them closely for their reactions.

They simultaneously blink, glancing at each other before Madara speaks again.

"… Is that all you desire?" He questions curiously.

Ilona frantically tries to think of how to express her thoughts **without** insulting her host.

"… I have lived with nothing. I am used to living with the bare necessities. Having objects for the sake of possessing them does not appeal to me. If you wish to thank me, thank me with things I actually need." She settles on, hoping it conveys her thoughts adequately.

"… I see. Very well. When you have healed, we will supply you with a horse, map and rations." Madara agrees.

Ilona relaxes slowly, tension seeping from her weary muscles as she nods to Madara. Then she realizes the trap he set for her and almost groans out loud.

'Dammit! Now he expects me to stay here?! I should have booked it.' Ilona grumbles mentally, working hard to hide her ire.

'_The rest would do you good, my king!'_ Gaia reminds her helpfully.

'Doesn't make it any more palatable.' She retorts then choses to retreat for the time being.

"I would like to rest now, Madara-san, Izuna-san. Good night." She manages, barely remembering the basic manners Rurumu had drilled into her head.

Izuna and Madara watch as Ilona stands to leave before Madara interrupts her.

"Sasha-san, do you even know where your quarters are?" He asks dryly.

Ilona stills.

"…" She doesn't answer, her back extremely stiff.

"I'll take that as a no." He eventually says when she doesn't break the silence.

He stands and walks past her to the door, sliding it open.

"Follow me." Madara orders her before walking out.

Ilona stares at Madara's retreating back then glances over at Izuna, her expression exasperated.

"Your brother is a piece of work." She tells him before following Madara.

Izuna chokes with surprise, sputtering at her blunt words. Ilona ignores him, lengthening her strides to keep up with the Uchiha patriarch. They walk in silence around the compound, the half-moon giving enough light to dapple the gardens in silver and black. Ilona finds herself surveying the gardens with interest- she had never see some of the plants before or the planting designs.

Madara, of course, notices her fascination with the gardens and subtly slows his pace. Ilona unconsciously matches him, tilting her head as the moonlight glints off a pond.

"Do you like the gardens?" Madara asks her quietly.

Ilona blinks and the spell breaks. She forces her emotions behind a polite mask and simply nods curtly. Madara watches her transformation from open curiosity to guarded politeness with a degree of wariness and a flicker of intrigue.

_She is different… I wonder what it will take to make her stay._ He muses, stopping before the sliding door to her temporary residence.

Ilona takes that as an invitation to inspect the room: at first, Madara thinks she's merely checking how clean it is. But quickly he catches on that she is examining the room for traps, hidden passages and how defensible it is.

"The room is secure." He informs her, folding his arms.

Ilona glances at him.

"The ceiling is hollow. And I do not understand why you would have doors that are made of paper. They wouldn't hold out against an intruder." She tells Madara.

Madara watches her lazily as she continues to inspect the room. He finds it rather amusing to watch her analyzing the room's weaknesses.

"For a woman that claims to not be a kunoichi, you are certainly wary enough to be one." He goads her.

Ilona resists the urge to roll her eyes.

"You don't need to be a shinobi to be wary, Madara-san. I spent most of my life in a place where anyone and everyone was a threat. To trust blindly is a death sentence." She retorts, putting her hands on her hips.

Madara raises his eyebrow but concedes to her argument.

"True." He admits.

Ilona's mouth quirks into a tiny smirk that she swiftly represses, turning away to shift her futon- Madara still sees it and decides to provoke her.

"But if you are not a shinobi, what are you? Not just anyone can fight equally with Tobirama without some kind of training."

Ilona does not allow her muscles to tense up, instead turning to face Madara fully and marching closer to him until they are nearly nose to nose. While Madara has some height on her, he doesn't have to look down too far to gaze into her eyes. He watches her with ill-concealed interest and amusement at her boldness.

"It wasn't training. Training implies a teacher or that they care if you survive to the next day." She says calmly.

"What you saw is the result of throwing someone into hell and waiting to see if they crawl back out. No more, no less."

Madara's mind whirls, piecing together an unsettling picture. Ilona gestures towards the tea room and gives him a pointed look.

"I would like to rest now- we can speak more on the morrow. Good night." She says firmly.

Madara steps back, allowing her to close the sliding door gently but firmly in his face. His mouth quirks into a full-blown smirk as he walks back to Izuna.

"Until tomorrow." He murmurs too softly for her to hear.

_Elsewhere…_

"Who the hell was that woman?!" Tobirama snarls, forcing himself to sit up.

"Tobi, stay still! Your leg is not even close to being healed!" Hashirama lectures him, folding his arms.

"Anija! How could you just let her go?! She's with the Uchiha!" Tobirama snaps, glaring at him.

"… I don't think she is 'with' the Uchiha." Hashirama murmurs thoughtfully, frowning.

Tobirama stares at him, baffled and annoyed.

"What do you mean, anija? She protected that bastard Izuna!" Tobirama argues.

"True- but he hasn't been seen in almost two weeks. And when he did reappear, she only made her appearance to keep him alive." Hashirama points out.

Tobirama opens his mouth, pauses and scowls thoughtfully.

"… You think she was hired?" He reasons, red eyes narrowing.

Hashirama shrugs carelessly.

"I don't know- but I do know she is disciplined. It would have been easy for her to kill you and our clansmen but she didn't. She let all of you live, when it tactically would have been safer for her to execute all of you."

Tobirama pouts at Hashirama's casual dismissal of his skills (he's not **weak**, dammit anija!) but recalls the battle between himself and the stranger. Grudgingly, Tobirama acknowledges in his mind that she is an excellent swordswoman and very perceptive for a mere nobody.

"… That doesn't make her any less of a threat! She's attacked the clan, anija! We need to know more- who is she, what her skills, goals, secrets are and exactly what her connection to the damned Uchiha is!" Tobirama stresses, trying to get through Hashirama's notoriously thick skull.

"…" Hashirama frowns but reluctantly nods.

"Very well, we will see what our spies know about her. It wouldn't hurt to know more- especially if she is on par with you, Tobi." Hashirama decides.

Tobirama nods curtly, silently relieved that his older brother is actually listening for once. He lays back down and closes his eyes, listening to Hashirama's retreating footsteps.

The woman's face flashes to the forefront in his mind; harsh cheekbones, twin scars on her right eye, a piercing in her left eyebrow and violet eyes. The rest of her face concealed behind a grey shemagh, hiding the rest of her features. But not her eyes. Those cold, calculating, violet eyes that never showed a flicker of fear, surprise certainly, but not fear at any point in their battle.

Even when he stabbed her, she didn't panic- hell, she reprimanded him for not killing her correctly! Tobirama opens his crimson eyes, frowning at the ceiling pensively.

_She reminds me of someone… but who?_ He wonders.

**That's a wrap! Reminder, the next chapter is set in the Present! Please review and comment, I love hearing what people think! Keep safe out there, seriously.**


	6. Deal the hand Dealt (Present)

**Hey everyone! I'm back again~! As always, I don't own Magi or Naruto but I do own my OCs and various plot twists (hooray the power of fanfiction and imagination!) This chapter is in the Present, with our favorite trio dealing with the hands Fate dealt them.**

**Warnings: mentions of torture, gore, swearing, death, depression and violence.**

**Now, onwards with the plot! **

Keiichi groans as he comes back to consciousness- his throat feels burned and his lungs ache abysmally. Forcing his eyes open, he stares at a stone ceiling and wonders where the hell he is.

{"Where am I?"} He wheezes out, massaging his throat.

"Ah, you're awake."

Keiichi starts and twists his head, nearly wrenching the muscles in his neck as he meets Itachi's impassive stare. He blinks then groans softly, rubbing his face.

"Fuck." He croaks succinctly.

Itachi quirks an eyebrow, closing the book he had been reading.

"Since you are awake now, Leader would like to speak with you."

Keiichi gives Itachi a flat expression.

"And I should do this **why**..?" His voice trails off expectantly.

"It's not a request."

"… Your Leader-san is not used to being told no, is he?" Keiichi observes.

Itachi inclines his head in agreement and stands, opening a door. Keiichi winces and forces his body into an upright position before shivering. Frowning, he looks down and deadpans.

"Where is my shirt and why do I have a tattoo?" Keiichi demands, pointing at the swirl on his chest.

Itachi stays silent, watching him. Keiichi rolls his eyes again.

"Are you barred from communicating unnecessary information or do you dislike answering perfectly valid questions?" He snaps sarcastically, grabbing the blanket and throwing it around his shoulders.

Itachi turns and starts to walk, leading a very grumpy Keiichi towards Pain's office without a word. He stops and knocks on the door.

"Enter." A deep voice answers and Itachi opens the door, ushering Keiichi in.

Keiichi scans the room, noting the massive windows behind the orange-haired man with multiple facial piercings, filled bookshelves on both walls and a sturdy desk the man is occupying. Keiichi keeps his expression politely disinterested as he stands in front of the orange-haired man, noting his eyes are a strange grey with rings. They have a stare off for several minutes before the person Keiichi presumes to be 'Leader-san' speaks.

"Your name is Keiichi Uchiha, correct?"

"Just Keiichi." He corrects coldly.

_I can't afford to give my last name in case Samar or Xia is using it- these bastards aren't morons._ He thinks, a kernel of worry growing for his siblings.

A pierced eyebrow shoots up.

"I was under the impression that you possess the Sharingan." He presses, narrowing his strange eyes.

Keiichi isn't fazed, eyeing Leader-san carefully before answering.

_Dammit, Itachi and that Kisame guy must have told him. Figures my luck is shit._

"I do, not that it's your business." Keiichi confirms and dismisses at the same time.

Pain doesn't blink, preferring to ask his next question.

"Where did you come from?"

Keiichi's eyes turn into purple ice, his expression hardening as he glares at Leader-san.

"Why do you want to know?" He shoots back.

Itachi almost imperceptivity shifts his weight while Leader-san examines Keiichi before finally replying.

"Because your clan, the Uchiha, is nearly extinct. We would like to know if there are other survivors."

Keiichi quirks an eyebrow at that, surprised.

"… Well, that's unfortunate, Leader-san. I really can't say, since you have failed to specify who 'we' is and what exactly your intentions are." He comments after a lengthy pause.

Itachi, meanwhile, is listening to this exchange and cannot help but approve of Keiichi's wariness. Leader-san leans back in his chair, contemplative as he considers his next words.

"We, as you put it, are the Akatsuki, an organization dedicated to bringing lasting peace to the Elemental Nations. We would like to extend an offer for you to join us in completing our goal."

Keiichi keeps his face impassive as he stretches his senses: while his magoi and chakra is low, he can still see and perceive details in his weakened state. A great advantage for shitty situations like this. Behind him, Keiichi can sense Itachi but his magoi is strangely weak, almost as if he was severely ill. Chakra-wise, Itachi is fine but his magoi tells the opposite. Deciding to investigate that in depth later, he turns his senses to Leader-san.

Keiichi feels his eyes widen slightly: **his magoi was wrong**. Rather than a steady, even flow throughout the body, Keiichi can sense foreign magoi funneling into Leader-san at each piercing site. Leader-san's chakra is different too, although it already feels strange to Keiichi with the absurd feeling of his magoi muddling his senses. Keiichi forces his face to not pale at the uncanny resemblance between Al Tharmen's favorite tactic and whatever the hell **this** is.

_SHIT. This bastard is dangerous and not even in the same damn room! Fuck, fuck, triple FUCK! Calm down, what're my priorities? One, protect and find my sisters. Two, stay alive. Three, protect Taih__ō__gakure. Four, go home. God dammit, I was kept alive just to be used. Great._

"… You aren't going to let me go, even if I say no." Keiichi broaches the growing silence.

Itachi stills and Leader-san blinks slowly before inclining his head.

"Correct."

Keiichi lets out a bark of humorless laughter.

"I'm guessing my new tattoo is part of whatever insurance policy you concocted. Are you going to tell me what it does or do I have to guess?"

Leader-san stares stoically at Keiichi.

"I branded you with a fuinjutsu seal that will kill you if you stray further than one half kilometer from any Akatsuki member. Other prohibitions are attacking or killing Akatsuki members, unless otherwise approved by me, and altering the seal. Or allowing anyone other than myself, Konan, Kisame or Itachi to alter it."

Keiichi's jaw clenches and his eyes flare crimson as his Sharingan unconsciously activates; Pain nods in satisfaction at the confirmation of another Sharingan user. Keiichi's hands curl into fists but he forces his hands open and closes his eyes, breathing slowly to control his temper. Itachi steps closer in case he needs to intervene. Pain waves him off, his Rinnegan not leaving Keiichi's face as he forces himself to calm down.

Eventually Keiichi opens his eyes, back to an icy purple, and his facial expression is stoic.

"… And what exactly do you intend for me to do in the Akatsuki?" He asks in a flat voice.

"Train your combat skills and eventually send you on missions as part of Itachi and Kisame's team. Other duties will be determined by your skillset." Pain explains.

Keiichi's jaw clenches but he forces himself to relax enough to speak.

"… I'm a medic. I would rather not engage in combat, even if I'm essentially your dog." He grits out.

Itachi and Pain exchange glances, intrigued. Pain considers Keiichi's request then nods slightly.

"I see. The combat training will still occur, but if what you say is true then we will be engaging your services as a medic primarily. Itachi will be your handler when he is in residence and Konan for the rest of the time. If you have further questions, ask Itachi. Dismissed."

_Elsewhere…_

Xia grimaces as she forces her eyelids upwards, trying to see past the bright lights. A deep chuckle sends a shiver down her spine, raising goosebumps in the chilly air. Xia gives up on seeing the bastard and spreads her senses, then pauses when she can't push her chakra out of her body.

{"What the **fuck**?!"} She hisses, struggling with her chakra.

"Ah, you're awake. Do you like the handcuffs? They suppress chakra of troublesome specimens like yourself… but where are my manners? My name is Orochimaru. Welcome to my laboratory, _Xia-chan."_ He hisses near her ear.

Xia immediately twists and spits in his golden eyes, baring her teeth in a feral snarl as he steps back and wipes the spittle away.

{"I'll do worse than that, you dipshit! **Try me**, asshole, I fucking **dare** you!"} She roars, black eyes burning like coals as she stares him down.

Orochimaru appraises her then smiles cruelly.

"Oh, I think I will have a great deal of fun with you, Xia-chan. After all, _I have so many things to test and questions to answer."_

Xia bristles, her lip curling in disdain and disgust as Kabuto rolls in a cart filled with surgical instruments.

{"Burn, then **rot** in hell until your flesh sloughs off your bones!"} She growls, flexing her fingers as Kabuto preps the tools of Orochimaru's trade.

_I can't seem to use my chakra, but what about my magoi?_ Xia wonders but grimly focuses on the present as Orochimaru's fingers dance over his tools.

He selects a scalpel and taps it against Xia's face- she sneers openly at his obvious scare tactics. Orochimaru's smile grows wider, his abnormally long tongue licking his chops as he repositions the blade to his liking.

"First incision." He coos, slicing her arm along her forearm.

Xia gives him a bored expression, barely twitching as the cut burns with pain. Orochimaru smiles as he widens the cut and starts to chip off a piece of the bone. Xia clenches her jaw as he successfully pries the bone sample free and places it in a petri dish. Golden eyes flicker towards hers' and he selects a glass tube with a thin metal needle next. The liquid inside of it is a strange pale blue as he traces her arm, seeking a vein. Xia bares her teeth and pulls hard at the restraints, guessing the object is not a good thing.

"Ah, don't worry my dear, this will only make this easier on everyone." He reassures her.

{"Easier for **you**, maybe!"} Xia hisses, trying unsuccessfully to avoid the needle thing.

Orochimaru is undeterred, stabbing it expertly into her vein and presses the top to deliver the payload. Xia feels her limbs grow heavy like they did with Duckbutt's senbon and has time to swear groggily again before her vision goes dark.

…

Sasuke leans against the wall, listening to Xia scream in her strange tongue as Orochimaru and Kabuto operate on her. His hand clenches into a fist as Xia (undoubtedly) swears at the Sannin until her voice subsides into incoherent mumbles.

_This was for the best._ He reminds himself harshly, walking away.

_But is it?_ An insidious voice whispers in his mind, repeating the same question plaguing him since he had drugged her.

_Yes, it is!_ Sasuke snaps at his consciousness angrily.

_Liar~!_ His consciousness taunts him before fading away.

_In Konoha…_

"… Sakura-san?" Samar breaks the awkward silence between them.

Sakura glances at her and quirks her eyebrow.

"Hai?"

"… Do you have somewhere to exchange currency?" Samar asks cautiously.

Sakura frowns thoughtfully, tapping her lips as she thinks.

"We do- what kind of currency are you going to be exchanging, if you don't mind my asking?" Sakura asks.

Samar reaches into her pouch, palms a gold coin and passes it discreetly to Sakura. Sakura looks down at it and freezes, stunned. Samar watches her worriedly.

_Oh no, is gold not accepted here?! I just wanted to be able to pay my own expenses-!_

Sakura rounds on her and Samar nearly flinches at the intense, terrifying expression on her face.

"Come with me, we need to talk with Shizune." Sakura demands, grabbing her arm and dragging a very confused Samar.

Soon enough they are back at Hokage Tower and Sakura takes her to a small office before knocking loudly on the door. A muffled 'come in' answers and Sakura pushes into the office beyond. Samar sweat drops at the staggering amount of paperwork on the poor woman's (Shizune's?) desk. A familiar dark-haired woman who looks overworked glances up, clearly confused by their sudden appearance.

"Sakura-?" She starts to say when Sakura slams the gold coin in front of Shizune.

Shizune blinks, then glances at Sakura with concern and growing confusion.

"Shizune-sempai, can you please appraise the value of this coin?" Sakura commands, failing to hide her anxiety.

Shizune frowns as she carefully picks up the coin. Her frown turns into disbelief and shock before Shizune carefully places the coin back onto the desk and stares intently at Sakura and Samar.

"Sakura, Samar, this coin is pure gold- its' worth would be at least equivalent to three A-rank missions. Where did you get this?" She asks, staring at them.

Samar stiffens her spine and keeps her voice calm.

"It's a standard coin used in my homeland. One hundred copper coins equals one silver- one hundred silver equals one gold. Five coppers is worth a loaf of bread."

Both Konoha shinobi stare at her then the coin. Sakura breaks the silence first.

"Samar-chan, we use ryo here. It looks like this." She answers, pulling out bits of- **paper?!**

Samar's eyes widen in curiosity at the bills.

"Oh." She murmurs, carefully examining the bill.

_So they are like Kou then… I wonder what the approximant value of a single gold coin is worth compared to this 'ryo'…_

Shizune rubs her forehead, trying to think past a migraine.

"Samar, Sakura. Under **no** circumstances let Lady Tsunade know about this." She points to the coin.

Sakura nods in assent while Samar frowns in confusion.

"Why should we not tell Lady Tsunade?" Samar inquires.

Shizune grimaces wearily.

"She's a gambler- a **bad** one." She explains, tapping the coin.

"This would be too much to resist for her and then she'll be back to her bad habits again."

Samar nods in understanding then tilts her head.

"So… I cannot use this to pay for my expenses?" She clarifies.

A thoughtful pause fills the room.

"… Let me see what I can do. Also, here are the keys to your apartment, a general map of Konoha and a stipend for buying necessities. Sakura can show you where to buy food, clothing, ect. I will speak with you tomorrow." Shizune answers, handing over an envelope.

Samar accepts it and bows politely before Sakura tugs her out of the office. Sakura huffs as they exit the Hokage building.

"Well, at least we got that sorted! Let's see where you're staying, Samar-chan!" Sakura urges her.

Samar giggles as she retrieves the necessary document, frowns at the 'address' and passes it to Sakura. The pink-haired kunoichi scans the words and brightens.

"Ah! This is near Naruto's apartment! You can pester him with questions if you need help when I'm not available! Here, this is his address." Sakura chatters, writing another string of words and numbers onto the paper.

Samar sweat drops and places her hand over Sakura's, stalling her.

"Sakura-san, what is an 'address'?"

"… oh boy." Sakura sighs.

_In Amegakure…_

Keiichi is annoyed. Actually, more than annoyed. He's furious. But he can't take it out on the source of his ire physically or by violent methods thanks to the seal. So he chooses to be productive and borrows multiple books on poisons, human anatomy, fuinjutsu, medical practices and history. Thankfully, most of the Akatsuki are out on missions at the moment so Keiichi doesn't have to tolerate their presence.

Of the bunch, Keiichi finds Konan, Itachi and Kisame the most tolerable to interact with- Konan doesn't bother him while reading, Itachi is content with prolonged silence and Kisame is an excellent sparring partner. But eventually Keiichi runs out of things to read and knows it's time to replace his missing gear. With a sigh, he stretches his senses and locates Konan.

Leaving his room, he strides through the Akatsuki base and heads upwards to the roof. It amuses him how many stairs there are (similar to Taihōgakure's underground sectors) and the unusual amount of steel. Eventually he reaches the roof and nods politely to the blue-haired woman.

"Konan-san." He greets her, maintaining ample space between them.

Konan turns and levels an impassive stare at him.

"Keiichi-kun." She responds.

Keiichi is unfazed- Ayo'yo-oba is much the same way with minimal answers.

"I have a request for certain supplies." He tells her, keeping his gaze level.

Konan watches him silently, which he interprets as permission to continue.

"Live fish, high quality metal ore, chakra ink, brushes, blank scrolls, forging supplies, a kashira, tsuba, seppa, several mekugi, fuchi, a forge, shark skin and durable leather."

Konan blinks, slowly.

"What do you intend to do?" She asks him.

"Forge a replacement sword for the one I lost and practice iryo ninjustu." Keiichi answers without hesitation, blithely leaving out that he would be warding his room with fuinjutsu.

Konan stares at him a moment longer.

"Why not buy a replacement sword?" The unspoken _why do you need to forge it yourself_ hangs in the air between them.

"They don't have what I need: I showed Kisame a drawing and he had never seen or heard of the blade type I use." He explains frankly.

Konan's curiosity perks up at that: _what kind of sword does Keiichi use that Kisame, a former Kiri-nin, hasn't heard of?_

"… I will speak to Pain." She tells him before fluttering away in thousands of slips of paper.

Keiichi nods and retreats back to his room; there are many preparations he needs to complete.

_Several days later…_

Itachi is exhausted after sealing the Ichibi and only wants to sleep when he hears a repetitive 'clang, clang' echoing up the stairs. Wary, he follows the sounds until he reaches the bottom level of the Akatsuki hideout, which is split into several spacious storage areas. One of them had clearly undergone a recent repurposing if the new forge, vents and general lack of clutter is any indication. Keiichi is standing beside an anvil, folding the nearly white-hot metal to strengthen it with a hammer. Itachi notes he had removed his Akatsuki robe and was wearing his worn pants and a leather apron.

Intrigued, Itachi watches as Keiichi shapes the now red hot metal before placing it back into the coals to reheat it.

"So you're a voyeur now?" Keiichi asks bluntly, filling a wooden ladle with water.

Itachi frowns at him.

"No."

"Then why are you watching?" Keiichi demands, swigging the water.

"…" Itachi doesn't reply.

Keiichi huffs loudly as he uses tongs to retrieve the blade he is forging.

"If you're gonna be here, you might as well be useful and stoke the fire. Forging is best with hot embers and coals, try to keep the temperature consistent."

"How?"

"The color. If the color is darker in one spot, it's not as hot as the rest. Lighter is hotter. Use the bellows to pump air, that'll raise the temperature. Wood is in that basket." Keiichi jerks his chin towards a wall.

Itachi is drained, exhausted and feeling worse than ever- but instead of doing the logical option of resting, he finds himself assisting Keiichi as he forges a sword. It takes hours before Keiichi is satisfied with the overall shape, durability, flexibility and heft. Itachi slumps on a nearby stool, watching blearily as Keiichi sets the sword aside for sharpening and other alterations after quenching it. Keiichi eyes him.

"Can you get up to your room by yourself?" He asks bluntly.

Itachi wants to groan- he **can** but in all honestly he doesn't **want** to. But he isn't in the Akatsuki so he can act like a whining child. So silently he nods, forcing his weakened body upright. He takes a step and the room wavers- in the distance he can hear muffled swearing as Keiichi catches him.

"What the fuck, you goddamn idiot!? Don't you know your limits, asshat?!" Keiichi growls, dragging one of Itachi's arms over his shoulder.

Itachi doesn't answer, being barely conscious, but Keiichi is enjoying the therapeutic rush of swearing at Itachi's idiocy. Keiichi takes Itachi to his room since it is closer and dumps him on the bed- Itachi tries to protest but Keiichi grabs his wand and glares at him.

"Shut your eyes and sleep or I will **make you.** It wouldn't even count as harm, since you're pushing your body past its' limits." Keiichi warns him with a dangerous glint in his violet eyes.

Itachi sweat drops at the implications of Keiichi figuring out a loophole to the fuinjutsu seal. Keiichi's face splits into a terrifying grin as he glares down at his stubborn kinsman.

"Go. To. _**Sleep.**_"

"…" Itachi tries to shunshin out of the room.

Keiichi, having expected some kind of escape attempt, grabs him expertly by the collar and tosses him back on the bed before growling a spell.

{Yoah Reg!}

Itachi feels the drowsiness of his body amplify, dragging his mind unwillingly into unconsciousness. Keiichi huffs in annoyance at Itachi's stupid antics.

"Idiot." He grumbles as he lays out a layer of blankets and promptly falls unconscious himself.

…

Itachi groggily forces his eyelids to rise, taking in the space he currently is occupying. Stacks of books, scrolls, inkwells and brushes are scattered everywhere save the bed, a path to the door and a blank space near a wall. Itachi grimaces, forcing himself to sit up and stills when he notices swirls of ink across the ceiling, walls, door, window and floor. Elaborate and intricate fuinjutsu seals fortify the room- from what Itachi can decipher, they prohibit unwelcome intrusions, foreign chakra use, distortions in space and breaches of privacy.

With a jolt, Itachi remembers what happened last night: working in Keiichi's smithy, staggering up the stairs, Keiichi demanding he sleep, his foiled escape attempt and Keiichi pointing his strange stick at his face-! And nothing but darkness after that. Itachi frowns, trying to remember how Keiichi had subdued him. The door opens, interrupting his thoughts.

Keiichi enters carrying a tray of food, nudging the door to stay open as he approaches Itachi.

"Ah good, you're awake." Keiichi states glibly.

"You slept most of the day away, but since everyone else is sleeping off whatever you bastards did a few days ago no one's judging. So that gives me time to ask a very important question."

Itachi keeps his expression impassive.

"Only if you answer one of my own." He counters.

Keiichi quirks his eyebrow.

"Oh~? Bargaining are we?" He asks in a teasing tone.

Itachi frowns at him. Keiichi snorts before handing Itachi the tray.

"Don't worry about being overheard. Seals are useful like that." He says dryly.

Itachi narrows his eyes at him, which Keiichi ignores easily as he settles on the other end of the bed.

"Look, I'll be generous and let you go first." Keiichi sighs, resting his head against the wall.

"…" Itachi is surprised but immediately starts thinking of which question he wants to ask, eventually settling on the one that had plagued him since meeting Keiichi.

"Where are you from?"

"…" Keiichi frowns as he carefully chooses his words.

"A place you would have only heard folktales and whispers of. One that lies on the other side of a shattered mirror."

Itachi blinks, a memory stirring in the back of his mind.

"_A mirror shattered, nine fragments scattered to the far reaches of the wilds, the way home broken. The wanderer, the Goddess of War from a distant land, sought them out. Nine times she discovered the Keepers guarding fragments of her mirror. Three she bargained with, Three she fought and Three she healed wounds unseen. When the mirror was made whole, she had to choose between her heart and her homeland."_

"_Okaa-san! What did __Sensō no megami-sama choose?!"_

"_Hush, Sasuke! You didn't let me finish!"_

"_I'm sorry, okaa-san."_

"_I forgive you, Duckling. Now, the Sensō no megami was loved by Madara, our ancestor, and he urged her to stay with him. She told him she would not stay if he wanted her solely for her power and not for herself. He convinced her eventually that he did in fact love her for herself and she rejoiced for she too loved him. But in loving him she knew him and his flaws. The greatest of these was his belief that strength is everything and the Sensō no megami was most certainly strong."_

"_Really?! As strong as Madara?"_

"_Yes, she was. In many ways she was his equal and demanded to be treated as such. She caused quite a stir in the clan if the records are anything to go by."_

"_What do you mean?"_

"_Ah, Itachi, I didn't know you were there! Come, sit down!"_

"_Nii-san!"_

Itachi breaks himself out of his memories and stares at Keiichi.

"Sensō no megami- that was part of the warning on the scroll."

"Hn."

"… Are you from the same place as her?"

Keiichi quirks an amused eyebrow at him.

"You already know the answer to that."

And Itachi did- despite the story the Uchiha had retold over the generations, he can only conclude the woman who had once reigned as Co-head alongside Madara Uchiha had survived the attack which resulted in her and Izuna Uchiha's disappearance.

"Now, my turn." Keiichi states, turning to level an intense stare at Itachi.

"How long have you been sick?"

_In Orochimaru's base…_

Xia narrows her eyes as the guards prod her along with sticks conducting electrical currents. The metal collar on her neck chaffs horribly: the two chains connected to it extend horizontally and are tightly controlled by more goons. As if her ankle chains and the shackles around her wrists aren't enough to restrict her movements. Her gaze flickers around, noting doors, hallways, weapons, _anything_ to give her a leg up on escaping.

Too soon her unexpected walk ends in front of a heavy metal door. Her handlers prod her into the room (which has a second door) and force her into a corner. Her neck collar is removed brusquely, one of the men trying to cop a feel, feeling cocky. She retaliates by breaking his wrist, snarling at the cowards as they frantically retreat and lock the door behind them. Alone, she huffs and shoves her bristly hair out of her eyes, absently tying it back with a strip of torn cloth.

Abruptly, the second door rises, letting in more artificial light. Xia tilts her head and stalks out at a measured pace, scanning her surroundings. It's an arena, mostly concrete and stone with no cover and multiple suspicious stains. Xia keeps her face impassive as an uneasy chill settles in her gut.

_It's like those slave fighting arenas Mom talked about- high walls to prevent escape, no cover and an audience._

Another metal door groans and admits another bastard. A big man, at least 6'6" with ratty hair, carrying a katana nearly as long as he is. Unlike her, he has no shackles. He sneers at her openly, eyeing her body lustfully. Xia resists the urge to reply with a snarl, keeping her face stoic. Clapping catches their attention as Orochimaru stands upon the wall keeping them contained. He smiles sickeningly at her and her (probable) opponent.

"Welcome. The rules are simple- two enter, only one leaves. Well, alive that is. I do so hate rotting corpses lying around."

Xia's opponent cackles madly while Xia continues to stare at Orochimaru unnervingly. Orochimaru raises one hand and chops down- a universal 'start' signal. Her opponent wastes no time, charging her and bringing back the katana for a diagonal blow. Xia releases her breath slowly and flexes her toes, channeling magoi to her abused muscles.

She waits patiently, measuring the distance between them. Ten feet, eight, six, four, two- now! He brings down the sword and Xia side steps him. Her hands and feet have about two feet of chain to work with and Xia hadn't been trained by former combat slaves for **nothing**. She slams the metal part of the cuffs into his temple, dazing him, then jumps on top of his shoulders and breaks his neck with a vicious twist.

The only sound in the arena is the clinking of Xia's chains, the 'thump' of the corpse as Xia steps off and the clatter from the katana striking stone. She grabs the sword, weighs it for a moment, and beheads her opponent. Blood splatters the ground and Xia rests the blade on her shoulder, dull side down, as she glares up at Orochimaru.

{"Pathetic."} She snaps.

In the shadows Sasuke's shoulders relax marginally at her efficient performance then tense again as Xia gestures rudely at Orochimaru. Orochimaru chuckles, amused by her continued defiance and disrespect before signaling to open another gate. Xia turns and watches her next opponent approach.

Another male with strange deformities in his skeletal structure- his shoulders and spine have spikes sticking out and his hands have impressive claws over five inches long. He glares at her and grins, exposing rotting teeth. Xia curls her lip, eyes glinting as she catalogs what she knows about him.

_Can't form hand signs easily with those claws. Might be able to extend more spikes from other portions of his body. Muscles aren't atrophied, so he's exercised somewhat regularly. Might be one of Creepy Bastard's more regular fighters then._

Orochimaru starts the match and her opponent **explodes **into motion, spikes bursting through his flesh as he races towards her. Xia slams the katana deep into the concrete and when Spike Boy swings at her with a wide haymaker, she pivots her body horizontal to the floor using her sword. His claws sever the chain between her feet and Xia takes immediate advantage with a mule kick to his jaw, sending him flying.

Spike Boy smashes into a wall and Xia pulls the katana free, smirking cheerfully before disappearing. Sasuke activates his Sharingan on reflex and barely catches a glimpse of her ripping her current opponent out of the wall and throwing him bodily into the middle of the arena. His eyes widen as Xia appears in her opponent's blind spot and slices **through** the spikes protecting her opponent's back. Spikes he knows Orochimaru genetically altered to be stronger than steel.

Her opponent howls and futility tries to twist to face her but Xia isn't having it. She nearly beheads him with her next strike but instead the poor bastard loses his hand deflecting the blade with his arm. Xia bares her teeth in a terrifying smile and her weapon **blurs**. Her opponent hangs in the air for a moment before abruptly breaking into six different pieces.

Each limb and his head falls free from his torso and Xia kicks the corpse's head right at Orochimaru, splashing him with blood. Sasuke and Kabuto warily watch the Sannin for his reaction, knowing his sadistic nature. Xia huffs loudly, unperturbed by the crimson stain soaking her clothes as she trims away her ankle chains completely. Orochimaru strokes his chin, eyeing her intensely before nodding for another failed experiment to be brought out.

Xia rolls her eyes as yet another gate opens- and a child steps out. Thin, malnourished with lanky hair and staggering into the arena with dead eyes. She stays still, silently appraising the kid with her magoi.

_Nearly dead. Female, exhausted and apathetic. It's a wonder that she's still alive._

The girl slowly looks around the arena and spots Xia- she picks up her pace, no longer stumbling but actually running. Xia narrows her eyes, shifting her weight to be more even. About ten feet away from Xia, the girl's arms extend and tries to wrap around her like a snake. Xia deftly slides underneath her left arm and vanishes. The girl whips her head around frantically and flashes through the hand signs for a Dotun-style Earth Barrier, rock walls rising to guard her.

Xia is observing from a distance, katana on her shoulder again as she analyzes the barrier. Then she shrugs and does the strangest thing.

She starts to skip in place.

Her opponent, inside her barrier, quickly signs for Dotun: Rock Pillar Spears. Spikes of stone explode out of the ground where Xia was standing, but she is long gone. Xia, when she feels the vibrations beneath her, rockets forward and starts to bounce off the walls of the arena. The first set of jumps are a warm-up as she increases her speed to where she's a blur and the walls start to crack under the pressure. Her opponent tries again, forming more Rock Pillar Spears on the walls in hopes of spearing her.

Xia dodges easily and tenses before pushing off the wall: an ear-splitting 'k-boom' draws attention to a massive crater where she had pushed off. Sasuke activates his Sharingan and sees Xia pull the katana back, loading it with a strange energy before slashing easily through her opponent's defensive barriers. They collapse but the girl escapes the falling rock, hands blurring through hand signs. Xia disappears again and abruptly the girl no longer has hands.

Her mouth opens to scream as blood gushes from her amputated wrists but Xia flickers into view and ends it with a well-aimed blow. The body falls to the ground and Xia coolly cleans the blade of blood using the dead girl's clothing. Orochimaru licks his lips, eyes gleaming in excitement while Kabuto takes notes.

Sasuke stares at Xia, wondering what else she is hiding from them. Xia glances up, sees him, and deliberately turns her back to him as she walks away. Sasuke clenches his jaw and tries to tell himself it doesn't matter that she hates him right now. But that nagging voice in the back of his head gleefully asks if **he** would forgive a betrayal so easily.

Sasuke doesn't answer, the sickening churning in his gut growing.

_In Konoha…_

Samar unlocks her door, balancing her groceries on one hip as she maneuvers indoors and engages her lock. Sighing, she puts away her food- fruits like apples, oranges and a few others she doesn't recognize, vegetables and fish. That done she pulls out a notebook and neatly starts to write down new words she doesn't recognize with pronunciations for future reference. Silently she thanks Izuna-oji-san and Okaa-san for making her learn how to read and write in Fire.

With that, Samar sits back and stares around her apartment. It is clean (Samar won't stand for anything less) but empty and all too quiet for her tastes. She bites her lip, worrying it anxiously. Sakura, Naruto and Kakashi had left for a mission several days ago to save the 'Kazekage' who apparently is a good friend of Naruto's. But Samar has to stay in Konohagakure for the time being and unfortunately she doesn't _know_ anyone aside from Lady Tsunade, Jiraiya and Shizune.

A gnawing emptiness is growing inside of her- Samar has never been completely alone like this in her entire life. Even in the Dungeons, she had Xia and Keiichi with her, the triplets watching each other's backs. The rest of the time she was surrounded by her cousins, uncles, aunts and kinsfolk in a never-ending stream of conversation and gossip. Samar keenly feels the lack and clasps her right wrist in comfort.

'_My king? What is the matter?'_ Her djinn speaks up, concerned.

'It's too quiet- I never thought I would miss my cousins' chatter, but I catch myself listening for their voices. And Xia and Keiichi- I don't know how to **do** this!' She confesses.

'… _May I make a suggestion?'_

'Please do, at this point I am very open to ideas.' Samar tells her.

'_Go out. Meet people- get new clothes. Don't hide away in this apartment.'_ Her djinn says in her low melodic voice.

'… Well, since my peace of mind is gone, I might as well.' Samar decides, standing up.

She grabs her fish-shaped wallet (Naruto had bought her one after hearing she likes fish), keys, map and a bag to carry everything in. After checking her map, Samar heads to a clothing store Sakura had recommended but a shop sign draws her eye.

"A weapons shop?" She murmurs, examining the display of kunai and a set of katana.

"… I might as well see what they have." Samar decides and walks in.

It's an older shop, but its' wares are well maintained and clearly labeled in separate bins. Kunai, senbon, rings with sharp spikes called 'kakute', shuriken, caltrops, chain whips, sickles, swords (split by type and make), hair pins, ninja wire, staves, tessen and **more**… Samar has to check her impulse to giggle madly at the sheer variety before her. She notices one section of the store is dedicated to poisons. A small smile tugs at her lips as she carefully inspects each bin.

Another customer, a kunoichi nearly her age with brown hair twisted into twin buns, wanders over to her and idly examines a bin of shuriken.

"First timer?" She asks casually.

"Eh? Oh, is it that obvious?" Samar replies, sweating at her lack of discretion.

The kunoichi laughs and holds out her hand.

"Tenten, frequent shopper." She introduces herself.

Samar shakes her hand.

"Samar, first timer." She offers with a shy smile.

Tenten grins and links arms with her.

"I'm glad to meet you- most of the kunoichi in Konoha don't really care about weapons these days. It's all about ninjutsu techniques, which are fine mind you, but they're not the best fit for every situation, ya know?"

Samar relaxes a little bit at a familiar rant.

"Oji-san and Okaa-san often argue about that- she said ninjutsu is useful but are often a specialized tool, whereas weapons can been hidden in plain sight. Oji-san argued the opposite mostly to be contrary." Samar reflects fondly.

Tenten grins broadly.

"And what do you think?" She teases.

Samar smiles and picks up a tessen decorated with flowers before flicking it expertly open with a 'snap!'

"I think I need more than two knives to survive." Is her answer.

…

Shopping with Tenten lifted Samar's mood immensely- as did her offer to train later on in the week. With her training date in mind, Samar seeks out one of the shinobi outfitters Sakura had pointed out. Once inside she is barraged by the sheer amount of fashion choices and fabrics, some of which she had never even heard of!

Biting her lip, Samar checks the kunoichi side of the store and frowns at a strange fishnet shirt.

_What __**is**__ this? It's thicker but still flexible…_

"That's mesh armor!" a bubbly voice says near her elbow.

Samar drops the shirt as she instinctively goes to draw a knife but pauses when she doesn't sense ill-intent. The blond behind her watches her actions with a calculating stare but keeps smiling. Samar eyes her carefully before moving her hand away from her knives. The blonde's expression warms and her smile grows bigger.

"Judging by how you're acting and the description Sakura gave me, you must be Samar-chan! I'm Ino, fashion mistress and right now your best friend!"

Samar blinks and blinks again.

"Eh?" She says weakly.

Ino makes a face at her.

"Sakura said you would be shopping for kunoichi clothes sometime this week but since you're a foreigner you wouldn't know what is good versus cheaply made, so she asked me to keep an eye out and help you. So here I am and honestly that mesh armor isn't the right kind for you- too loose for your figure. Hm, this is better!" She exclaims, showing Samar a mesh armor shirt that only would cover her arms and upper torso.

Samar examines it before shaking her head firmly.

"If this is armor, then I would rather have it cover my entire torso and my arms," She tells the other kunoichi.

Ino folds her arms and quirks her eyebrows.

"Oh~? Is that so? Do you dress for practicality?" Ino interrogates as Samar finds a few likely choices for her mesh armor.

"For battle? Yes. For the rest of my time no." Samar replies, her eyes landing on a short battle kimono.

Ino grins as Samar gently examines it: three-quarter roomy sleeves while the fabric itself is dyed a deep purple.

"If battle kimonos are what you like, I see some other ones over there that are calling your name!" Ino informs her, dragging Samar by the elbow.

The next hour passes in a blur of clothes, 'yes's and 'no's as Ino and Samar find affordable ninja clothing for Samar's wardrobe.

"If you want to hang out, I'm working at the Yamanaka Flower Shop tomorrow at noon. Feel free to swing by!" Ino offers as Samar lifts her bags.

Samar smiles warmly at her and nods, still a bit shy.

"I would like that." She assures Ino, who beams.

"Great! See you then!" Ino tells her as she waves good-bye.

Samar meanders home and unpacks her purchases neatly. She had bought a set of kunai, shuriken, senbon, ninja wire, short knives and several tessen along with pouches to carry them all in. Two of the tessen Samar hangs on the walls as decoration while the other three (alright, she had gone overboard) are stowed in her bedroom. Then, hesitantly, Samar pulls on her ninja gear and straps on her weapon's pouches before examining herself in a mirror.

Her mesh armor covers her torso and arms, over which is the purple battle kimono with a light blue obi. Beneath her kimono, Samar is wearing standard-issue shinobi pants and she wraps her lower legs bandages above her sandals. Clothing done, Samar focuses on hiding her subtle weapons on her person: hair pins in her hair, thin flat throwing knives stowed inside her kimono sleeves and leg bandages, ninja wire in her obi…

When she finishes arranging everything she meets her gaze in the mirror and squares her shoulders.

"You can do this. Don't give up." She reminds herself.

{"You conquered a dungeon, survived a war and you are a kunoichi. I don't need to follow a path already set before me when I can carve one of my own making."} She reiterates in her native tongue.

'_Very true, my king.'_ Her djinn answers with approval.

Samar smiles and her heart lifts a little at the thought of her new friends.

**And that is a wrap! Reminder, next chapter is the PAST! Please review and thank you for reading this story!**


	7. Deal the hand Dealt (Past)

**Hey everyone, I don't own Magi or Naruto, only my OCs and plot twists! As forewarned, this chapter is set in the PAST and the rating is M for a reason! There will be shenanigans, swearing, probable violence and many misunderstandings~!**

**You have been warned, please review or comment, and let me know what you think!**

**Now, on with the show!**

_The Past…_

Ilona wakes up to a familiar nagging pain in her side- silently, she sits up painfully and checks her bandages. A small crimson stain tells her it's time to change them again. Rolling her eyes, Ilona grabs the spare roll of bandages she had swiped from the healers last night and rewraps her torso. Deciding she's already awake, Ilona stands and throws on clothing offered by one of the Uchiha women. Sliding her door open, she notes dawn is still about an hour away and ponders what to do.

_Hmm, perhaps I'll meditate._ She decides.

Soon enough she is seated next to the pond she saw last night and settles comfortably on the grass. Folding her hands into her lap, Ilona closes her eyes and focuses on her magoi; the pulse and flow of it rushing through her body endlessly. Where she is injured the flow is disrupted and Ilona frowns minutely as she gently urges her magoi to slowly correct its path. While she cannot heal herself, mediation allows her to check on the progress her body is making.

Releasing a sigh, Ilona focuses outwards and listens to this strange world around her. As Metis said, there is no Rukh in the world around her but each person still possesses magoi and 'chakra'. It baffles her but Ilona choses to ignore it, trying to get the feel for this different type of sensing. Most of those in the Uchiha compound are asleep at this hour, their magoi pulsing gently in time with their heartbeats. Their chakra swirls, contained with them and racing along narrows channels in a never ending cycle.

Birds chirp sleepily as they wake and Ilona senses a familiar, warm presence approaching.

_Madara._

Ilona keeps her eyes closed and her breathing smooth as Madara pauses on the porch. She can **feel** his stare but refuses to fidget or twitch, continuing her meditation as she absorbs the calm of her surroundings. Madara watches her for a while longer before leaving for parts unknown. She only opens her eyes when she feels him beyond the scope of her senses and inwardly sighs before retreating back to 'her' room.

Hopefully she won't have to spend the day doing boring activities.

…

Izuna tugs on her hand, nearly dragging her after him. Ilona lets him, guessing he does not often receive the chance to act so carefree. And who is she to deny that?

"Come on, breakfast is almost ready! Madara-nii is going to be there too, Sasha, so don't be nervous." Izuna chatters.

"Should I be?" Ilona dryly questions him.

Izuna huffs at her and Ilona's mouth quirks into a tiny smirk.

"Sasha!" He complains.

"Izuna." She replies blandly.

Izuna pouts at her and Ilona's smirk grows as she slides the door open, nodding to Madara in greeting before assuming a seat with her back to a wall and facing the doors. Madara seems amused by her choice of seating while Izuna collapses into a seat next to Madara with pout. She bows slightly to Madara.

"Madara-san, good morning." She murmurs quietly.

"Good morning." He answers, his dark eyes not moving from her face.

"Nii-san! I was thinking of going to the training fields-"

"Oh?" Ilona and Madara drawl at the same time, looking at him.

Izuna pales when he realizes his mistake and quickly tries to back pedal.

"A-Aa, to oversee the younger children's exercises- since I have time on my hands and all, aha ha ha…" His voices trails off as he sweats under Ilona's critical stare and Madara's bemused gaze.

"Is that so? Then, if it is alright with you Izuna, I will accompany you. I have yet to see the training fields." Ilona says smoothly, sipping her cup of tea.

Izuna groans, thumping his head against the table.

"You don't need to babysit me!" He whines.

"Babysit you? Whatever gave you that impression? I merely wish to see the training fields." Ilona says dryly.

Izuna pouts at her while Madara stifles his chuckles.

"Very well, you can oversee the shuriken and ninja wire classes." Madara agrees.

Izuna perks up and Ilona conceals a smile as she eats her breakfast. Soon enough the meal is over and Madara calls for the servants to take away the dishes, standing. Izuna, fortified with ample food, bounds outside with Ilona following him at a steady pace. She mentally frowns at the restrictive nature of her kimono and wonders where she can find a set of men's clothes in her size.

They swiftly reach a field with multiple targets and ample space for sparring. A group of children of various ages, three to ten would be her guess, cluster happily around Izuna. He leads them through several exercises, aiming for accuracy and precision as well as consistency. The boys (no girls training for battle Ilona notes) seem to be amped up by Izuna's words, making it into a competition. Most of the older children are capable of hitting the target, if not the bullseye.

One younger boy catches Ilona's attention as he throws over and over to no avail. His shuriken miss the mark or fall short and he bites his lip, clearly about to cry. Ilona glances at Izuna, but he is surrounded by the rest of the boys and doesn't notice the little one struggling. She stares at the boy and stands, moving purposefully across the training field. He doesn't notice her, too wrapped up in his misery.

"Little one." Ilona says quietly, trying to not scare him.

His head snaps up and shocked onyx eyes stare into hers before he yelps and falls on his rump. Ilona sends him a small smile while keeping her hands where the boy can see them. He eyes her warily, to her approval.

"My name is Sasha. You seem to be having trouble with your shuriken- would you like assistance?" She asks, keeping her voice low and nonthreatening.

The boy blinks and frowns at her.

"I've heard about you! You're not a shinobi, so how could you help me with training?" He demands.

Ilona quirks her eyebrow and holds out her hand.

"May I?" She asks politely.

He narrows his eyes but hands over one shuriken. Ilona stands smoothly and with a practiced snap of her wrist throws it into the bullseye. His jaw drops satisfyingly before he stammers a rebuttal.

"T-That was a lucky throw!"

Ilona merely holds out her hand again. This time he gives her ten shuriken and watches her every move like a hawk. She calmly throws the first four one at a time; each finds its way to the bullseye, clustering tightly. Next she throws two at once, then three before throwing her last shuriken to slam deep into the target. The boy's face is priceless as he beholds all eleven shuriken nestled neatly in the bullseye. Ilona turns to him.

"Would you like some help?" She asks him again.

This time he nods frantically and Ilona smiles slightly at his enthusiasm. She gathers the shuriken and strides back over to him, kneeling next to him. He stares at her eagerly as she hands him the weapons.

"Now, show me how you are throwing." Ilona instructs him.

He nods, stepping forward and awkwardly tosses the shuriken- it loses momentum quickly and falls short. Ilona nods, her suspicion confirmed.

"You are throwing at an awkward angle for your arm. Keep your wrist like this," She shows him how her wrist is perpendicular to the ground.

"So you can use your entire arm when you throw and give you the 'snap' you need. That will give you the power to reach the target. Now give it a try." She encourages him.

He fumbles the grip but with Ilona's gentle verbal corrections, he starts hitting the target. Not the bullseye by any means, but within the outermost ring. He beams and Ilona nods in approval.

"Much better. Work hard and if you have more questions I will be over there." She points to a tree next to the edge of the training field.

The boy grins at her and Ilona marvels over his swift transformation.

"Arigato, Sasha-san!" He thanks her before focusing on his target.

Ilona suppresses a chuckle as she walks back to where she had been originally watching, only for Izuna to intercept her.

"Sasha-san!" He yells at her.

Ilona quirks her eyebrows at him in a silent query.

"Can you come over here for a moment?" He requests.

Ilona sees no reason to refuse so she ambles over to the group of older boys and Izuna.

"Yes?" She probes, wondering why he called her.

"Ne, can you hit multiple targets? Show us!" One of the boys demands.

Ilona levels a steady stare at the speaker.

"Is that a polite way to ask someone something?" Ilona inquires calmly.

The boy shuffles his feet, cowed. His age mates stare at her with wide eyes while Izuna valiantly holds back his laughter. Ilona turns her gaze to include all of them, expression stern.

"You may be training as shinobi, but that does not excuse you from basic manners. So let's try that again, this time using those manners I am certain your kinswomen drilled into your heads." Ilona orders.

The boy who originally asked her steps forward warily.

"Yohei-san, can you please demonstrate hitting multiple targets with shuriken?" He says respectfully, addressing her with the polite name for a mercenary.

Ilona nods.

"Yes I can." She confirms.

The boys stare at her expectantly and Ilona merely rolls her eyes.

"… It is rather hard to demonstrate without shuriken." She hints.

Comprehension dawns and the boys shove as many shuriken as Ilona can hold into her hands. Izuna is cackling with laughter while Ilona shows the boys how to hit multiple targets at once. Then she pauses and looks at Izuna then the boys.

"Now boys, I'm going to show you something that can save your life; Izuna-san, if you would?"

Ilona steps away from the group and holds up a shuriken- Izuna pulls out his own as he moves a safe distance from the boys.

"Redirecting a thrown shuriken takes practice, but if mastered will serve you in good stead. You will be able to deflect other projectiles in time but the basic skill is calculating where your opponent's weapon will be and hitting just right to send it elsewhere. Izuna-san?"

He nods and throws a shuriken at Ilona, who deftly intercepts it with one of her own and sends both careening into targets. The boys gape, starry-eyed, as Ilona throws at Izuna who easily mimics the feat. They turn and appraise the boys sternly.

"You will be practicing with wooden shuriken until you have the skill mastered." Izuna warns them.

A chorus of groans and whining fills the air to Ilona's amusement as Izuna opens a box filled with wooden shuriken for that specific purpose. Ilona removes herself before the shuriken start flying and sits on the edge of the training field, one leg bent and the other extended as she watches. Behind her a gaggle of Uchiha women stare at her and whisper in hushed tones.

"So that's her?"

"Doesn't look like much."

"Did you hear? She carries a sword like a man!"

"She was throwing shuriken with the boys, like she has a right to!"

"Aa, does she fancy herself a warrior? How pathetic!"

"Look at her! So unladylike! Her legs are on display for anyone to see!"

"Pity about her face- she'll never get a husband with those scars."

"Husband? She would be lucky if any man looks her way!"

"Izuna-sama seems taken with her-"

"I heard she spent two weeks with him! Alone!"

"Really?!"

"What a whore!"

"I bet Izuna-sama will drop her soon enough- that's what her kind only deserve after all!"

Ilona rolls her eyes at their blatant dislike and jealousy.

_So superficial…_ She sighs mentally.

Ilona turns her head and pins the group with an unimpressed stare. They freeze before one of them boldly marches over to her with a stormy expression.

"Mind your place, outsider!" The woman hisses at her.

Ilona remains unmoved, quirking her eyebrow at her.

"And what, exactly, do you deem to be 'my place'?" Ilona asks coolly.

The woman bristles, eyes flashing heatedly.

"In the mud, where whores like you belong! Certainly not anywhere near the likes of Izuna-sama or Madara-sama!"

"I see. Unfortunately for you," Ilona remarks, tilting her head.

"I am a guest, rather than the whore you make me out to be. But you are right about one thing: I am no lady."

The woman gawks at her but Ilona isn't done, smoothly standing and approaching her with measured strides.

"A_ lady_ does not learn to kill. A _lady_ does not know how to defend herself or others. A _lady_ belongs in a household for the entirety of her life. A _lady_ stays behind when her kinsmen go to war. A _lady_ does not survive in the wilderness alone. A _lady_ learns to submit and not question what they are told. So yes, I am no lady and I am forever **thankful** I am not. Good day." Ilona dismisses the other woman as she leaves the training fields.

Once again she notices the constricting nature of her borrowed garment and resolves herself to find men's clothes, local expectations be damned. As she turns a corner she barely stops herself in time from colliding with Madara. His face flickers with surprise but swiftly is replaced with sardonic amusement.

"Sasha-san. Was seeing the training fields not engaging enough for you?"

Ilona huffs, folding her arms.

"No the training fields were fine. The boys are coming along well and Izuna-san is enjoying himself. It was the suffocating expectations of your clanswomen that failed to be 'engaging'."

Madara blinks and mentally groans, picturing all too easily what they said to her.

"What did they say?" He growls, rubbing his forehead.

Ilona rolls her eyes, waving off his concerns.

"Oh, the usual. 'She's an outsider so she must be a whore'. So narrow minded- is it really that hard to believe that a woman can fight and wander the world alone? It's not solely the providence of men." She grumbles, flicking her hair out of her face.

Madara stares at her before snorting and hiding his hands in his sleeves.

"Yes, it really is." He tells her.

Ilona stares at him and indulges in a heartfelt groan.

"Dammit." She sighs before remembering something.

"Madara-san. Where might I find clothing suitable for fighting? It doesn't have to be fashionable, just functional." Ilona inquires.

Madara's mouth twitches into a smirk as he watches her.

"… Do you not like the clothing we supplied for you?" He goads her.

"Kimonos are pretty to look at but impossible to fight in." Ilona says flatly.

Madara tilts his head, curiosity burning through him.

"Does it matter to you that much?"

Ilona nods firmly.

"It does. I would rather not have my life end because of the clothes I am wearing. I would rather fight nude if that were the case." She admits freely.

Madara sputters, his face flushing pink and his ears burning. Ilona cocks her head and her expression becomes mirthful.

"Oh? Does that surprise you?" She teases him.

"No!" He denies and unbidden the memory of her half nude comes to mind.

Madara's face burns an even bright red. Ilona smirks and walks past him.

"I'll leave you to your woolgathering, Madara-san. Do try to not drool." She says dryly.

Madara sputters and Ilona chuckles as she sweeps out of view.

…

Izuna comes upon Madara brooding a few hours later, ignoring all the paperwork littering his desk.

"Aniki?" Izuna calls, wondering what he's brooding about this time.

Madara's eyes flicker up to Izuna and he focuses on him.

"Izuna. How was training?" He inquires.

Izuna settles in front of his desk, relaxing.

"Good! Sasha helped out one of the boys who was having trouble. Poor Katsuo couldn't even get his shuriken near the target but she figured out his problem and he started actually hitting the target! Not to mention she's a fair hand at shuriken herself- she can redirect shuriken midair to hit the targets, Aniki." Izuna tells him.

Madara blinks slowly.

"… And yet she says she's not a kunoichi?" He says in disbelief.

Izuna shrugs.

"I haven't seen her use any techniques that use chakra- but she is lethal with weapons. Come to think of it-!"

He fumbles through his kunai pouch and triumphantly pulls out a strange dagger. Madara holds out his hand and Izuna passes it over for his inspection. Drawing the knife his brow furrows at the strange design. Sharply curved with a narrow tip and both sides of the blade sharpened, it is ideal for stabbing or slashing at close quarters. Closer examination shows wear and age but faithful maintenance. Clearly a weapon Sasha had had for a long time.

Madara glances up at Izuna.

"This is hers?"

Izuna nods, his face animated as he recalls the memory.

"Aa. She gave it to me when we started traveling. According to her it's better for self-defense than a kunai- at least, that was her opinion. She didn't exactly let me handle any troublemakers we ran into. Oh! Sasha called it a 'jambiya'!" Izuna sounds out carefully.

Madara freezes, the word ringing in his mind.

_Jambiya-! But that's one of the words the _Ilona_ woman taught me! Is Sasha from the same place as her? Does she know Ilona? We need answers! But carefully- Sasha may balk if we try too forcefully._

He sheathes the dagger and hands it back to Izuna.

"I see. Izuna? Perhaps in a few days we should have a spar, healers permitting, and Sasha-san can show us how to properly use it."

Izuna grins at the prospect of training properly again.

"Oh, and give these to her." Madara adds, tossing Izuna a bag.

Izuna tilts his head and opens the bag before falling on his back, roaring with laughter. Madara forces himself to not blush as Izuna pulls out his and Izuna's hand-me-downs.

"Knock it off!" Madara snaps, glaring at him.

Izuna sniggers as he holds up one of Madara's old shirts, eyes glinting merrily.

"Ne, aniki, why're you giving Sasha our old clothes? That's rather odd for a courting gift!" Izuna teases him mercilessly.

"Shut up Izuna!"

Madara throws a book at Izuna's head, who dodges cackling as he runs out of the study. Groaning, Madara massages his brow as a migraine brews.

"Idiot." He grumbles as he finally starts on his paperwork.

_A few days later…_

Ilona stretches carefully, the stitches in her side itching fiercely under her bandages. A few of the Uchiha are staring at her like she is a strange beast as she strides around in her new clothing. Madara and Izuna's gift of their hand-me-downs were exactly what she needed. A bit loose, perhaps, but nothing she couldn't fix with a few tucked in seems. The only part of the outfits she altered completely were the high collars; Ilona chose to slice them off and using the excess fabric as extra bandages.

But more importantly, Ilona could move and fight freely without worrying about tripping over her own feet! It was glorious! The change in her clothing had not gone unnoticed, but Ilona could care less about gossip as she moves through a series of exercises meant to loosen her body. Nearby, the boys she is sharing the training field with are alternating between awe and disbelief as Ilona gradually ups the difficulty of her warm-up.

Finished, Ilona fetches her sword and razor wire, knowing she has grown sloppy from lack of practice. She sets up several logs and focuses, loosening her wrists absently before snapping through her first strike. A log falls in two pieces, cut vertically, and Ilona twists her wrist. The falling pieces go from two to four, cut at an angle.

Ilona narrows her eyes and snaps her hand towards her; the wire flies backwards and she catches it easily. She turns her attention to the next log and sends her wire around it, manipulating it subtly to wrap rather than slice. Ilona nods and pulls sharply with her arm, yanking the log into the air. Her teeth are bared in concentration as she deftly changes the log's course, whipping it over her head before letting it fly back behind her. At the maximum extension she pulls hard and send it into a wide swing: the wire, taunt with the extra weight, cuts through her other logs with little resistance.

She slowly allows the wire to slacken and safely brings her weapon to a halt, then clenches her fingers. Her make-shift flail disintegrates into wood chips and thin chunks as Ilona gathers her wire. The boys chatter as Ilona cleans up, stacking the wood to the side out of the way. A shadow is cast over her and Ilona straightens, her expression polite. One of the older shinobi trainees is frowning at her, arms folded across his chest.

"What're you doing here? The training grounds are for boys!" He tries to menace her.

Ilona is not impressed- rather, she is amused by his attempt to intimidate her. She props one hand on her hip and raises an eyebrow at him.

"Training, boy. Death doesn't care what gender you are when he comes to reap souls." She answers calmly.

He bristles, probably at being called 'boy'.

"What'd you say?!" He barks at her.

Ilona rolls her eyes and walks away from him.

"You have ears. Use them." She tells him.

A surge of rage in his magoi warns her and she sidesteps several shuriken thrown at her. Ilona watches him flash the Sharingan at her and pull out yet more shuriken. She keeps her face impassive.

"Feh, you dodged! Take this, wench!" He snarls, throwing more shuriken at her.

Ilona suppresses a sigh as she whips her razor wire in a complex pattern, redirecting the shuriken to fall harmlessly to the ground. The boys watching from a safe distance mutter amongst themselves while her challenger flushes with disbelief. She arches an eyebrow at him, unimpressed.

"Boy, I do not care for idiotic displays. Go back to your training and challenge me in a few years." She dismisses him, recoiling her wire.

"My name is Daiki! Not boy!" He yells at her retreating back.

Ilona spares him a glance over her shoulder.

"Is that so? My name is Sasha, not 'wench'." She answers.

Daiki opens his mouth to yell at her and freezes when he senses an overbearing presence behind him. He turns his head and blanches; Madara is glaring disapprovingly at him while Izuna gives him a disappointed frown. Daiki spins and gives a formal bow, sweating heavily. Madara narrows his eyes.

"Daiki, is ambushing from behind and name-calling how the Uchiha clan treats honored guests?" He demands.

Daiki shakes his head vigorously.

"No sir!"

"Correct. Report to the kitchens- you can meditate on your behavior while washing dishes for the next two weeks." Madara orders.

Daiki nods, face blazing scarlet and runs back to the compound. Madara surveys the rest of the boys and raises his eyebrows.

"Well? Carry on." He says gruffly.

The boys scatter to various targets, casting curious or cautious glances at the Patriarch. Izuna smiles reassuringly at them and silently encourages them to continue their practice. Madara turns and walks towards Ilona, who had moved further away from the boys. She ignores him as she moves through a sword kata, focusing on her blocks and counters. Izuna easily catches up to Madara and they watch her for a moment before Izuna decides to catch Ilona's attention.

He draws his katana and shunshins in front of her. Ilona reacts immediately, swinging her sword into an overhead block and kicking him in the gut. Izuna dances out of the way, grinning widely and goes in for another bout. Ilona rolls her eyes and her blade flickers though a complex attack pattern, forcing Izuna on the defensive. Izuna's grin fades when Ilona nicks him purposefully on his legs and arms but not drawing blood. She trips him with the flat of her blade and steps back, considering him before sighing.

"You're used to being faster and stronger than your opponents. Your guard is full of holes, especially for your limbs and if you're not careful someone will take an arm or leg." She tells him.

Izuna pouts at her.

"But Sasha~!" He starts to whine.

"Don't, Izuna. Neglecting your guard for more attack power is a boneheaded move. I suggest reviewing your basics and drilling until they are second nature again." Ilona advises him.

"She's right. You're rusty." Madara comments critically.

"Not you too!" Izuna complains.

"At least you will be able to review and recondition your body at the same time. Basics are basics, after all." Ilona remarks.

"You're not going to let this go, are you?" Izuna moans pitifully.

Ilona smirks at him.

"Not until you can perform the basic maneuvers flawlessly." She assures him cheerfully.

"You're merciless." Izuna grumbles.

Madara snorts and glances at Ilona.

"How is your wound? Is it giving you trouble?" He questions her.

Ilona shrugs.

"It itches more than anything- I should be fine in another couple of days." She waves away his concern.

"Good. Are you up for a spar?" He asks her casually.

Ilona blinks, surprised, before her mouth quirks into a small smile.

"So long as I don't push too hard, yes." Ilona answers.

She moves a few paces away from Izuna and tilts her head at Madara.

"Taijutsu or weapons?" She asks, tightening the leather cord binding her hair.

"Taijutsu." Madara replies, following her.

Ilona nods, sheathes her sword and tosses it to Izuna who catches it easily. She faces him and Madara feels the change as she **focuses** on him and **only** him with heightened intensity. Madara nods and eases his body into a fighting stance. The world seems to slow as the two warriors from different cultures observe each other- then it ends with Madara's charge.

He starts easy, punching for her torso and following with a left roundhouse elbow. Ilona pushes his punch aside and blocks the elbow strike before retaliating with an upper cut. Madara leans back and Ilona swiftly reverses the direction of her upper cut into a reverse hammer fist, aiming for his skull. He blocks and starts to twist her arm but she grabs his wrist and stabs a pressure point in his arm to loosen his grip.

Madara releases her arm and she slams a roundhouse knee strike into his ribs, making him grunt but he gets even with a palm strike to her face. Ilona uses the momentum to flip backwards and regain her feet before coming at Madara. He is already moving, lashing out with a strong snap kick followed by a knife chop to her neck. Ilona blocks the kick with a side block and catches his arm, using it to hold him close enough for her high kick to connect with his chin.

Madara punches her in the kidneys and Ilona coughs before in a shocking show of flexibility hooks one leg behind his neck and proceeds to savagely slam the other knee into his face. He snarls, his lip bleeding freely and Ilona hisses in reply as he tosses her off. Ilona rolls fluidly and is back on her feet in seconds- but Madara's thirst for battle had woken fully.

He is there and lands several hard hits to her torso, which she deflects or straight up blocks with grunts of effort. Madara grins ferociously and Ilona's mouth curves in an answering grin as their blows increase in speed and power as they struggle to bring the other down. Izuna wonders if he should try to stop them when Madara slams a hit into Ilona's side. Her face pales with agony and she, in a moment of pure fury, breaks Madara's nose with a resounding crack.

Madara's swears are muffled as he tries to stem the flow of blood but Ilona hardly notices as she yanks her shirt up, kneeling on the ground. Izuna squawks in embarrassment, trying to shield his eyes but pales when he spots a spreading stain of crimson through her bandages.

"Sasha-!" He yelps, worry showing in his voice.

"I'll… be… fine! Stitches… broke!" Ilona grits out between clenched teeth as she wheezes through the pain.

Madara and Izuna's gazes meet over her head and they wordlessly agree on a plan of action. Ilona yowls in surprise as Madara princess carries her to the healers, shunshinning past everyone while Izuna follows close behind the pair carrying their weapons. She instinctively grabs Madara's shirt as the Uchiha compound flashes past, anchoring herself amidst the confusing sensations. Izuna pulls the door open for them, rather than let Madara kick it down.

Kotone glances up and stares at them, arching her eyebrows.

"… Well, are you going to just stand there?" She sighs.

Madara carries Ilona inside, despite her hisses to let her walk and lays her carefully on the floor. Kotone hides her amusement at the pair's antics, handing a wet rag to Madara as she pulls out her supplies.

"Wipe up that blood, Madara-kun, then we'll see if it's broken or not. Izuna-kun, bring me that mortar and pestle along with that packet of herbs. Now then, Sasha-san, let's see how bad it is." She sternly tells the younger woman.

Ilona represses a growl as the bandages are cut away, revealing a nasty bruise and four of her six stitches had popped during the fight. Blood seeps sluggishly out the wound and Kotone tuts.

"Well, that's another week at least of healing for you, Sasha-san. And no sparring or strenuous activities, I mean it!" She scolds her as she preps her herb paste before heating the sewing needle with a quick fire jutsu.

Ilona growls with irritation before turning her gaze on Madara. She frowns and gestures for him to come closer. He does so warily and flinches when Ilona feels his swollen nose.

"Broken. Don't punch me." She warns him.

Madara's eyes widen.

"Wait-!"

She ignores him and pushes his nose back into place with a sharp movement. Madara sees stars and barely resists decking her as pain blinds him.

"**What the hell was that for, woman?!"** He roars.

"Aniki!" Izuna tries to hold him back as Ilona rolls her eyes.

"It had to be reset- unless you wanted a crooked nose? Because that's an easy fix," She drawls, reaching towards his nose.

Madara grabs her arm and glares at her, bruising already developing under his eyes. Ilona meets him glare for glare, the tension in the air practically sparking. Kotone shakes her head and sews up Ilona's side, slapping the herbal paste over it. Izuna sweat drops at the terrifying tension between his aniki and Sasha, not knowing what to do.

Kotone suppresses a fond smile at her patient's antics as she rewraps Ilona's torso before turning her attention to Madara. She frowns in concentration and her fingers glow faintly green, shrinking the bruises and swelling. Madara huffs but lets the older woman fix up his nose, his mood improving as the throbbing pain vanishes.

"You were lucky, Madara-kun. It was a very clean break, so it'll be tender for the next few days. Now, I suppose you two decided it was a grand idea to spar one another?" Kotone casually asks, cleaning her hands with a wet rag.

Ilona and Madara glance at each other then nod in unison. Kotone huffs in exasperation.

"Hn. That was foolish of you, Sasha-san! You're not fully healed yet! And Madara-kun, you should know better!" She scolds them.

Ilona's mouth quirks in a smile.

"I see clan healers are bossy no matter what clan they're from," She teases.

Kotone mock glares at her.

"Hush you! Back to your room, you're strictly on bedrest! Izuna-kun, Madara-kun, make sure she gets there and _stays_ there!" She orders imperiously.

Izuna and Madara hide smirks while Ilona pouts. Wincing, Ilona starts to push herself to her feet but Madara sweeps her into his arms again, making her squawk in surprise.

"I can walk!" Ilona protests heatedly.

"Hn, but now you don't have to." Madara points out smugly.

"I didn't ask to be carried!" She snaps.

"I hardly need your permission." He retorts.

Her mouth twists into a terrifying snarl, slamming both brothers with her Killer Intent and takes advantage of Madara's surprise to jump out of his arms. She turns aggressively to face them and both brothers blanch at her potent rage.

"The last man that thought the same **died** with his intestines as a noose, strangled. You've been warned." She hisses.

Ilona stalks away from them and retreats into her room with a slam. Izuna stares wide-eyed at Madara, who is nonplussed by her reaction.

"… Aniki, I think what Sasha's trying to say is don't do things without asking her." He eventually remarks.

Madara frowns.

"I was just carrying her to her room since I injured her!" Madara growls, pushing his hair back.

"Aniki…" Izuna trails off, trying to put his thoughts into words.

Memories of Sasha's talks about war, battle and death and her strange disregard for her own safety comes to mind. Her reactions to their clan women baiting her about her unladylike mannerisms. The scars on her body and her matter-of-fact reaction to being injured against Tobirama. Her sword skills and the fluid grace she had while fighting the Senju. And the way she frozen when Madara and he offered their thanks for helping him get home safely.

"I don't think she knows how to accept kindness or recognize it." Izuna finally says.

Madara turns a piercing gaze at him and Izuna holds firm under his scrutiny. His older brother sighs and frowns thoughtfully, gazing unseeingly at something as he goes through his own recollections.

_She did act oddly when we offered her our thanks- almost hesitant. Hn, perhaps I did confuse her…_

"…" He shakes his head in exasperation and walks away.

_Or I'm just over thinking this._ Madara reminds himself.

…

Ilona resists the urge to punch the wall, forcing herself to take slow deep breathes.

'_My king, stay calm. He does not know your past.'_ Metis reasons with her.

'It's hard to stay calm when he acts as if he has the right to manhandle me! I am NOT an object!' Ilona snaps.

'_I think that is just his way, my king. He was being very careful when he was carrying you-'_ Gaia pipes up.

'That doesn't reassure me!' Ilona interrupts hotly.

'_Well, abrasive tendencies aside, you were enjoying yourself earlier when sparring with him.'_ Metis muses.

'_Indeed?'_ Gaia wonders- she has not known her King's Candidate long enough to judge accurately.

'_By Solomon, yes she was. Our king unwittingly learned to enjoy fighting worthy opponents during her years as a combat slave in Leam. Very little excites her more than the prospect of a difficult or tricky fight.'_

'_Oh! Does that mean she might be interested in him? Madara is __**very**__ handsome~!'_

'Oi, I am right here!' Ilona reminds them.

'_Yes, well, even if she does feel something for him our king tends to be very dense concerning romantic matters.'_ Metis explains, ignoring Ilona.

'I. Am. Right. HERE.' Ilona grits out mentally.

'_Oh dear, and here I thought she had found a worthy partner! It's really too bad she has no experience with relationships or matters of the heart!'_ Gaia laments.

Ilona stuffs her face into her pillow in a childish attempt to block out her djinns' voices. She doesn't want to even think about how careful his grip- no! Groaning, Ilona pulls the pillow off her face as she pensively stares at the hollow ceiling.

Unbidden, another voice from the depths of her memory floats to the surface.

"_You're a slave. Slaves don't get choices, they get orders. And ya follow those orders to the bitter end, brat. Even if it means your death."_

"_What if I don't wanna, Keiri-oji-san?"_

"… _I'm gonna pretend I dinna hear that."_

"_But why do we have to obey?! They're the same as us, so what gives 'em the right?!"_

"_Shut it! It's just the way it is! Now, I don't wanna hear no more of this nonsense or you'll get flogged!"_

"… _I would rather be flogged!"_

"_Stupid brat-!"_

Ilona tears herself out of the memory; she already knows how it ends. A guard heard her and dragged her outside the slave cells, punishing her with five lashes for talking out of turn and five for defiance. When he had untied her she bit one of his fingers off. He had retaliated by whipping her face, nearly claiming her eye before throwing her in a cart destined for the Coliseum. Keiri-oji-san had heard and snuck to the cart, passing her a knife and some hurried advice.

"_Watch the fighters, __**especially**__ the ones that have been fighting there a long time. Don't focus on fancy moves, just get the job done as fast as ya can. Don't trust anyone and don't let 'em know you're a girl. There's worser fates for girl slaves than boys, you hear me?! Stay alive brat and may Solomon have mercy on ya."_

{"Stay alive."} She murmurs to herself.

A simple code to follow most times, after she had become used to the Coliseum. Changing her name to 'Sasha' and keeping herself dirty kept her under the radar. No one bothered to look closer under all the dirt and waste, finding 'Sasha' too repellent. And she was safe- until Ilona starting winning more and more of her fights. Other slave fighters learned her name and arranged for her to fight more of the monsters in a bid to get her killed.

She survived. She learned. And she killed with less and less hesitation. She had no friends beyond Ayo'yo, a female Fanalis that was showboated for slaughtering monsters. But Ilona never lost her burning need be more than a slave or another fighter in the arena. And when she had finally seized her freedom, Ilona had marked that moment by assuming her real name. It was freeing, to wander where she chooses and not have to hide who she is.

Her mind draws uncomfortable parallels between her time as a slave and how she is acting with the Uchiha brothers. The first lie to Izuna had been almost a reflex but she rationalized it to herself, knowing exposure as 'Ilona' could very well lead to kidnapping or assassination attempts. But she had felt the urge to give some of the truth of her history, as if it would make up for that lie. Her emotions baffle her; she shouldn't care about what others think of her. She should be more concerned about finding her way back home, not fitting in.

A strengthening urge to leave grows inside her and Ilona soundlessly gathers her things, her hand reaching for her jambiya only to remember she had given it away. She stares at her empty hand and closes her eyes; images of Izuna and Madara flicker in her mind's eye. Ilona flinches and resumes packing.

She can spare a knife. Even one from Keiri-oji-san.

…

The night is still, gently illuminated by the moon and dappling the world in shades of silver, grey and charcoal. Madara frowns into his sake cup, musing the puzzle that is Sasha when he senses her moving. He frowns, setting the cup aside and gliding soundlessly closer. If it weren't for his sensing abilities he wouldn't have even known she was maneuvering past the guards and scales the wall using a tree. Madara silently follows her into the dark trees. Rather than hopping from branch to branch, as a shinobi would, Sasha walks sure-footed on the ground.

This continues for a fair distance and Madara has a feeling this is no mere stroll in the darkness. He tenses to leap in front of her when a deer bursts from cover, startling Sasha. A knife whips from her hand into its skull, killing it instantly.

{"A deer? Ugh, that surprised me."} She mutters, pulling her knife free.

Madara freezes at the familiar language, his mind whirling feverishly as he calculates scenarios. Sasha frowns at the carcass, clearly torn about leaving it there or not. Madara takes the chance to shunshin behind her, holding a kunai to her throat.

{"Good evening, _Ilona._"} He murmurs in her ear.

She stiffens, her shoulders tense. Madara nudges her shoulder, indicating that she turn to face him. Slowly she does so, amethyst irises burning with emotions as she meets his scarlet gaze. His grip on the kunai tightens as he mentally berates himself for trusting her-!

"Madara-san." She answers stiffly.

He narrows his eyes at her, Sharingan whirling in hypnotic circles as he loses his grip on his temper.

"How long were you intending on stringing my brother and I along, _Ilona?_ Until you healed? Or maybe you were going to find some way to indebt the clan into giving you a position-?"

"**No!"** She snaps, glaring at him angrily.

"I didn't want to stay with your clan! I didn't want to meet you again either! I just wanted to see Izuna home safe! **That's all!** By the seven seas, I do not lie!"

"Oh really, Sasha? Or is it Ilona? It's hard to keep track of what to call you." Madara smoothly answers, his words a poisoned knife between her ribs.

Her jaw clenches but she doesn't waver, to his surprise. Defiance sparks inside her and she answers his challenge.

"Sasha is _also_ my name. Ilona, Sasha- they are both my names. One was given at birth, the other out of necessity. I answer to both so that was not a falsehood."

Madara's eyebrows shoot up, reluctantly intrigued to see she isn't lying. But he cannot bring himself to trust her again so easily. Not unless she answers all of his questions.

"Then why tell Izuna to call you Sasha, when you had already met him as Ilona?" He demands, looming over her.

Ilona tilts her chin back challengingly, exposing her throat in a dare.

"Because I didn't trust him! I had no idea what you shinobi would do to someone such as me, an outsider with strange powers! Would you use me? Kill me? I just wished to be left alone so I could continue my journey unmolested!" She snaps at him.

Madara frowns but is unable to refute her logic. Given similar circumstances, he would have reacted in a similar manner to protect himself. It irks him that he even agrees with her at all- she had betrayed their, _his_, trust!

"And what kind of powers are those, exactly? Some form of jutsu? An unknown Kekkei Genkai?" He ruthlessly questions her.

Her eyes flash and she snorts, folding her arms.

"You were there when I first appeared, Madara-san. Draw your own conclusions!" She huffs.

Madara snarls, shoving her against a tree and pinning her wrists with one hand as he stares directly into her eyes.

"How about you tell me, or I force it out of you." He threatens her coldly.

Ilona rolls her eyes before giving him a roundabout answer.

"It is a power that is mine and mine _alone._ It will not be passed on after my death, nor be given to any of my offspring in the event I actually decide to have children. No other may use it and none will."

Madara glares at her; she glares right back and his temper finally snaps. He sends more chakra to his eyes and traps Ilona in a genjutsu, going through her memories…

He watches as a clan rides across vast grassy plains on horseback, joking and laughing as they go. She is sitting in front of her older sister, clinging to the saddle horn as she listens to her vast family chatter and several of the men patrol the outer edges of the caravan_. _

"_Ilona? Are you tired?" Her sister- Yong, asks her._

"_No! I'm fine, Yong-nee!" She chirps back, swinging her legs slightly._

"_Ah, is that so?" She laughs, ruffling Ilona's cropped hair._

"_I wish you hadn't cut your hair off! It was so pretty before!"_

"_Bleh! Long hair is annoying!" Ilona complains._

"_If you say so," Yong says doubtfully._

The memory blurs forward through half-forgotten moments of a giant communal meal before everyone retires for the night. Only for her world to be consumed by flames, screams and the clang of weapons clashing. She is afraid, clinging to her older sister's hand as they dodge a burning tent and abruptly she is torn away from her.

"_Got another one!" A raider sneers sickeningly as Ilona kicks wildly, yowling._

"_Ha! Me too!" Another boasts, dragging Yong by her hair as she screams._

"_Throw them in with the others!" Their commander roars, cutting off one of Ilona's cousin's heads._

Ilona and Yong are thrown into a cage, where they are shackled to the prisoner next to them. Most of the captives are young women or children. Yong is shaking but she bends down and whispers in Ilona's ear.

"_Don't tell them you are a girl!"_

"_Nee-san?" Ilona whispers, confused._

Yong smiles shakily at her, tightly squeezing her hand.

"_You're a boy from now on, do you understand? Your name is Sasha and you are my little brother! Do you understand?!"_

"_I- I'm a boy? And my name is Sasha?"_

"_Good! Good. Remember that, okay Sasha?"_ She whispers, face pale.

The memory fades and jolts to another, of a stinking warehouse full of cages and people locked up inside them. Ilona is dragged outside, her wrists and ankles aching from the weight of the chains and positioned on top of a platform. A sea of faces writhes beneath her, calling, _jeering_ as the auctioneer lists off her virtues as a young Kouga boy. Ilona bites her lip, resisting the urge to scream for Yong as money exchanges hands and she is dragged away.

She glances back and spots Yong, along with most of her other clanswomen, being herded into wagons and taken away. Yong sees her and mouths 'remember' before vanishing out of sight.

Time moves forward and Ilona assumes her role as 'Sasha', a slave boy who is barely able to scrap by. One of the older slaves by the name Keiri takes her under his wing and shows her little tricks to save food and stay warm. It was during an argument with him that she slips up and admits to being a girl. Keiri's eyes widened with fear as he checks to see no one is close enough to eavesdrop before dragging her into the shadows.

"_Sasha, ya listen good! Your sister was right- there's a bad fate for girl Kouga slaves and ya can thank your lucky stars ya don't look nothing like one! Never tell anyone else nothing, ya understand?! Ya think this is bad? It can be so much worse if they find out, so ya need to learn to hide in plain sight, aa? Watch the other boys and mimic them sos nobody catches on!"_

The next memory Madara sees is when she is whipped for the first time and gains the scars on her face, feeling a sympathetic ache. Keiri gives her his jambiya and his final advice before she is sent off to the 'Coliseum'. A giant stone arena, specifically built so observers can watch battles between slaves, monsters and special fighters. Ilona is one of those slaves, considered widely as 'cannon fodder' and whose deaths are expected and inconsequential.

She should have died.

But she didn't.

He is in the middle of experiencing her first 'match', fighting against an older slave wielding a spear when he is torn forcibly out of the memory.

'_I believe you have seen enough.'_ A melodic woman's voice rings out in Ilona's mindscape.

Madara glances around warily, his Sharingan spinning warily.

"Who's there?" He demands.

'_My name is Metis.'_ Her voice whispers around him eerily.

"Why are you interrupting me, Metis? What is your purpose?" He growls, tensing.

'_I am protecting my king, whom you call Ilona and Sasha; she is not ready to show you everything. Nor _should_ you know everything about her.'_ She answers him.

His brow furrows in annoyance.

"That is for me to decide! She may be a threat to my clan!" He snaps.

Metis laughs, her voice echoing around him.

'_So fierce and wary! But alas, you have naught to fear from my king. She does not wish for destruction or war, though she is well prepared for both. It is as she said: my king wishes to resume her journey and find her way home.'_

Madara fumes angrily at the spirit- he can only guess Metis is some form of spirit guarding Ilona's mindscape.

"What is her power? How does it work? Where is she from?" Madara yells.

A gusty sigh answers him.

'_Remember those questions, Madara of the Uchiha. If she gives you the answers, know it to be a sign of trust and good faith. But she _has_ answered you honestly as she can for now. Goodbye, Madara of the Uchiha.'_

And with that Madara is ejected from Ilona's mind, shattering the genjutsu.

Ilona stirs and watches him warily, her body conveying weariness from the extended trip into her memories. Madara silently tries to wrap his head around what he saw and what he can conclude based on what he had seen. Ilona waits patiently for him to organize his thoughts, resting against the tree. He deactivates his Sharingan after a long moment and steps back. Ilona stays where she is, waiting.

"… Do you intend harm upon my clan?" He asks her softly.

Ilona shakes her head.

"No. I have no reason or inclination." She answers honestly.

Madara huffs in the quiet, shaking his head in annoyance.

"Who is Metis? A guardian spirit?" He wonders aloud.

Ilona snorts.

"That's not a bad way to describe her." She admits, pushing her wild hair out of her face.

Madara quirks his eyebrow at her. Ilona rolls her eyes at his silent question.

"I will not explain any further tonight. Goodbye, Madara." She firmly denies him.

She pushes off the tree and starts walking. Madara feels a sudden impulse as she ventures further from him and acts on it.

"Wait." He calls.

She pauses, glancing over her shoulder at him. Madara resists the urge to fidget under her critical stare.

"You have not fully healed. At least wait until then… Please, Sasha, Ilona."

She visibly hesitates, wavering- and with a sigh of defeat returns to his side.

"Very well." Ilona grumbles, falling in step next to him.

Madara feels a strange warmth in his chest as they walk back to the Uchiha Compound- and wonders if she will ever tell him her entire story.

**Aaaaaaand that is a wrap! Augh! This one went all over the place in my head, I swear! Any who, please review and comment! Next chapter is set in the PRESENT, as a reminder to readers! And it's a doozy… Take care out there! **


	8. Changes and Consequences (Present)

**Hello~! I'm back with chapter 8! As always, I don't own Naruto or Magi but I do own my OCs and plot twists. Hopefully I am keeping everyone entertained so far, this is **_**officially**_** the biggest chapter I have written as a writer at 35 pages! As a heads up, this chapter has a greater focus on Xia and Samar, mwa ha ha ha ha ha! Don't worry, Keiichi will be there too, for those of you who prefer our sarcastic magician. Please remember to review and let me know how I'm doing so far ;) **

**But I had to do MATH this chapter, augh! **_**Cries in a corner over my decision to change the rate time flows between the two worlds and the ensuing math-induced headaches. **_**Why do I do these things to myself… T.T**

**But I got it figured out (eventually) so there is more of a definite timeline of how long Ilona was in the Naruto verse, yey!**

**Warnings! Violence, emotional manipulation, torture, wtf moments, gore, bad-ass moments, SWEARING (I can't stress this one enough), brief nudity, amped emotions and explosions! **

**Remember, this IS an M rated fanfic dear readers. Enjoy~!**

_The Present…_

Samar hesitantly knocks on the hospital room door.

"Enter." Kakashi's voice replies and Samar tightens her grip on her basket before sliding the door open.

Kakashi eye smiles at Samar over his orange book from his hospital bed.

"Yo, Samar-chan, how have you been?"

"Adjusting. I met two kunoichi about Sakura-san's and Naruto-san's age while shopping. How are you doing?" Samar asks, eyes worriedly flickering over his body for signs of injuries.

Kakashi gives her another eye smile.

"Fine, just some chakra exhaustion~!"

Samar's expression turns stern.

"You call this 'fine' when you have been hospitalized?" She retorts, placing her basket on the side table.

Kakashi hums.

"Maa, it's not that bad-"

"You're in the hospital- I think that answers how 'bad' your condition is." Samar coldly crushes his weak attempt to brush off her concern.

Kakashi sweat drops as Samar pulls out several sealed containers.

"Here- I heard hospital food is bland. This one is {"harira"}, it's like a spicy soup with vegetables. On the side is roasted eggplant with peanut sauce and rice. I also made {"naan"}, which is like a bread pancake. If the harira is too spicy for you, eat it with some of the naan or the rice. I'll be back tomorrow, Kakashi-san." Samar says briskly, retrieving her basket.

Kakashi watches her retreat with a curious stare then turns his attention to the food she had left. The door opens and Tsunade walks in then promptly stares at the containers of food Samar left.

"An admirer, Hatake?" She says dryly.

Kakashi gives her an eye smile.

"Maa, you know how it is~"

"Hmph. You know in a week's time Sasori was planning on meeting with his spy."

Kakashi nods, becoming serious.

"You're not going- you over did it, Hatake. I'm having Bear replace you as captain for now. Danzo has offered a replacement member for the mission as well." Tsunade explains curtly.

Kakashi frowns under his mask.

"Do you know who?"

"No. He has decided to keep **that** piece of information to himself." Tsunade snaps.

Kakashi frowns and glances at Tsunade.

"… Tsunade-sama, perhaps we should send one more person…" He suggests.

Tsunade blinks at him and narrows her eyes.

"Oh? And who would this fifth member be, Hatake?" She demands, folding her arms.

"You just missed her." Kakashi hums, turning a page in his Icha Icha Tactics.

Tsunade's glare sharpens.

"Kouga? You want her on the mission?"

"She'll be an asset."

"She's not a shinobi- not even a genin!" Tsunade protests.

"Wellllll, have her take the academy test~! She already passed the bell test and I can vouch for her skills being at least chunin level- potentially even higher."

"Hatake…"

"Tsunade-sama, Samar-chan is skilled- and she cares about her teammates. If nothing else, she'll fight to keep them alive."

Tsunade frowns and slams out of Kakashi's hospital room. Kakashi continues to read his book and hopes his gamble pays off.

…

Samar conceals a frown as she enters the Hokage building, wondering why she had received a summons to meet with Lady Tsunade. She nods politely to the personal in the tower before knocking firmly on Tsunade's office door.

"Enter!" Tsunade yells.

Samar strides in and bows politely- Shizune gives Samar a warm smile, which Samar briefly returns.

"Lady Tsunade, you asked me to see you." Samar states, using her politely interested poker face.

Tsunade nods and gestures to a chair in front of her desk.

"Yes, sit down Samar."

Samar obliges and keeps her hands folded in her lap as she waits for the Hokage to explain why she called Samar to her office. Tsunade clasps her hands together and rest her chin on them, leaning forward.

"Samar Kouga, I would like to offer you the opportunity to become a genin and kunoichi of Konoha. If you choose to do so, you will be offered the same protections and be bound by the same laws as any other shinobi of Konohagakure."

Samar raises her eyebrow.

"That's… sudden." She remarks, watching Tsunade's expression closely.

"I am surprised you would offer such an opportunity for a foreigner like myself."

Tsunade nods.

"Yes, normally it's not something I would consider, but you do care about those you fight for or with. You have the skills and I'm not ashamed to say Konoha needs more kunoichi like you."

"… I would be allowed on missions?" Samar clarifies.

Tsunade nods.

"If you pass, I am assigning you to Team Kakashi- you worked well with them."

Samar nods, pondering her choice carefully before nodding.

"Very well. But first, do you have privacy seals Lady Tsunade?"

Tsunade quirks her eyebrow but nods.

"Please activate them." Samar requests.

Tsunade does so and Shizune watches Samar closely, wondering why she had requested the privacy seals to be active. Samar takes a deep breath to steady her nerves and looks at Tsunade.

"As I understand it, Hashirama Senju was your grandfather, correct?"

Tsunade nods.

"It's common knowledge. Why is that important?"

Samar stiffens her spine, sitting perfectly straight as she inwardly braces herself.

"Did he ever speak to you about a woman known by the name Sensō no megami?"

Tsunade purses her lips, frowning. A faint memory of her grandfather speaking of a foreign woman with all the fighting prowess of a man and the cunning of a demon emerges from the depths of her mind.

"Some. He said she had the fighting prowess to fend off himself or Madara Uchiha one on one and she was one of the most dangerous women he had ever met. And something about a mirror-"

Tsunade stops, certain things clicking in place.

"The scroll used to summon you mentioned the Sensō no megami and a mirror in the warning- and Grandfather said her mirror was supposed to **teleport** the user to faraway lands."

Samar nods.

"Yes. That is what my mother's mirror is supposed to do although it doesn't just go to other lands, but also other **worlds.**"

Tsunade blinks and blinks again, trying to process what she just heard.

"… Come again?"

"The mirror in the warning belongs to my mother, Ilona Kouga, known in **this world** by the fabled title Sensō no megami. She was a friend of Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha prior to the founding of Konohagakure." Samar says calmly.

Tsunade stares at her and pulls out her sake, ignoring Shizune's weak protests.

"That's- how?! She was around when my _Grandfather _was a young man and you're not even twenty! And another world?!" Tsunade barks, glaring at her.

Samar maintains her composure, keeping her voice measured.

"You already have evidence of other worlds through your Summoning contracts, Lady Tsunade, as well as the language I initially spoke in. It is not that farfetched. As for the time discrepancy… My mother discovered time flows differently between our two worlds. One hundred and eight years may have passed **here** but in my mother's home world it has only been _**eighteen years."**_

Shizune's jaw drops and Tsunade refills her cup, knocking it back and glaring at Samar.

"Alright, fine, let's say you're telling the truth. Why mention it at all?"

Samar meets her stare head on.

"My information for the Elemental Nations is over one hundred years out of date- Sakura and Shizune were already suspicious of my origins… And I did say I would assist in understanding the scroll used to summon me. I do not break my promises, Lady Tsunade, but I will not be given trust and fail to extend it in return when it has been earned."

Shizune blinks in surprise while Tsunade tries to process Samar's words.

"… So, this is you showing trust?" Tsunade asks.

Samar nods curtly.

"I can't tell you everything but… there are answers to any further questions if you _look_."

"… Dammit brat, you really know how to throw off someone's day." Tsunade growls, glaring at Samar.

Samar is unapologetic.

"The truth is not always pretty or nice, Lady Tsunade." She reminds the Hokage.

Tsunade grunts and slams back another cup of sake.

"Be at the Academy in four hours for the test- ask for Iruka." She orders.

"Of course." Samar yields easily.

Tsunade deactivates her office's seals and Samar leaves gracefully as Shizune tries to take away the sake bottle from Tsunade. Samar frowns thoughtfully as she leaves the Hokage tower, wondering what will be on a 'genin' test.

"Oi, Samar-chaaaaaan!" Naruto hollers, bounding over to her.

Samar laughs softly and waves.

"Hello, Naruto-san." She greets politely.

Naruto pouts at her.

"Don't call me Naruto-_san_, call me Naruto, dattebayo!"

Samar smiles awkwardly.

"Aa, I'm sorry Naruto- Naruto-kun?" She tries, uncomfortable with the very familiar term of address.

Naruto beams at her and links arms.

"Whacha doing in the Hokage tower, Samar-chan?"

"Lady Tsunade wished to talk to me." Samar states simply.

Naruto tilts his head at her and squints his eyes.

"That's it? Booooring!" He complains.

Samar smiles at him warmly.

"Ne, Naruto-kun, what was it like becoming a genin?"

Naruto frowns, wondering why Samar is asking about that of all things but answers easily.

"It was great! I finally passed the stupid test but then I got stuck on a team with Sasuke-teme and Sakura-chan and Kakashi-sensei was really late and stuff-!"

"Oh? You had to take the test more than once?" Samar tilts her head.

"Yeah, dattebayo! They do a paper test and I hate paper tests and a taijutsu portion but that part's fine they just have you spar and throw kunai or shuriken and then they have you do one of the three basic jutsus! And every time they did the clone jutsu and I used to be super bad at them but then I learned how to make shadow clones and I passed and became a ninja, dattebayo!"

Samar grins at him, her eyes sparkling.

"I'm glad to hear you passed- are you still a genin or have you become a chunin?" She asks innocently.

Naruto's face is weighted down by gloom- Samar can almost see the cloud hovering above his head. Samar sweat drops.

"Aa, Naruto-kun..?" She questions tentatively.

"'m still a genin." Is the nearly incomprehensible reply.

"… Ah, I'm sorry..?" Samar says, feeling the awkwardness building.

Naruto shakes his head and grins brightly.

"Don't worry, dattebayo! I'll make chunin, then jonin easy! You'll see!"

"I hope so- good luck Naruto-kun!" Samar tells him as she pulls away to enter the library.

Naruto waves to her and Samar waves back as he rushes off to train. She turns and goes back to her search for information, this time focusing on the genin exams.

_Orochimaru's base…_

Xia glares around the 'lab' (apparently that's what Orochimaru's favorite room is called), testing her restraints as she waits for somebody to show up. _Apparently_ Orochimaru does not take kindly to escape attempts- especially escape attempts that nearly succeed. During one of her gladiator matches, Xia had built enough speed to vault over the walls of the fighting arena and make a break for it. Xia had actually made it outside and nearly into the woods when she was swallowed by a giant snake. It had spat her out in front of Orochimaru, Glasses and Duckbutt and Xia did what any fed up hot-blooded kunoichi does: she attacked.

Obviously she didn't **win** but even with the chakra restricting cuffs she had hurt all three of them before Glasses knocked her out. It was rather satisfying to scuff up her tormentors- especially Duckbutt, but Xia knows her chances of escape has decreased. Rolling her eyes she glares balefully around the room, at all the hated tools and machines that fill the space.

{"Stupid snakes."} She sniffs irritably.

"Now, now, don't be cross…" That hated voice hisses.

Xia narrows her eyes as Orochimaru and Glasses walk in- she bares her teeth in warning, making Glasses glare furiously in return. She had nearly ripped his face off using only her teeth as a last ditch attempt to escape. Xia notes clinically that his skin is slightly pinker where it was healed. Orochimaru pulls on gloves, drawing her attention- of the two men in the room, Orochimaru is the biggest threat. He had cut her body open more times than she cares to think about but the way he is currently acting is… disquieting.

Something is off.

Xia carefully watches him and Glasses as they prep for 'surgery' with the nasty smelling chemicals and gloves and weird white masks. They turn together and stare at her and Xia fights down a shiver at the shared expressions of sickening excitement.

Orochimaru glides smoothly over to the table Xia is bound to, gold eyes glittering mercilessly as he picks up a scalpel for her to see.

"Xia-chan, you were a _very bad girl_. I'm afraid you've forced my hand…" He trails off, Glasses flanking her on the other side of the table.

Glasses swiftly slices through her battered clothing, baring her torso for the world to see. Xia rolls her eyes- she isn't body shy, living with her gaggle of cousins made her immune to that kind of embarrassment. Orochimaru tuts at Glasses.

"Kabuto-kun, that wasn't very nice…" He mock reprimands.

Glasses bows his head, light glinting off his spectacles.

"Apologies, Orochimaru-sama."

Orochimaru hums.

"You should make it up to Xia-chan… I know! You can make the incisions- your work is so very neat and tidy." He tells Glasses, holding out the scalpel.

Glasses takes it and smiles coldly at Xia.

"I will do my best, Orochimaru-sama." He vows.

Xia wonders what the fuck they are doing this time when Glasses starts cutting her fucking **stomach** open.

{"You BASTARD! Where the FUCK ARE YOU PUTTING THAT THING?!"} Xia roars, twisting violently before he can finish slicing.

Pain flares but Xia literally gives no fucks at this point. Glasses' face twists and his hand glows green with medical chakra. He tries to tap her on the neck but Xia snaps at his hand, nearly catching two of his fingers between her teeth. Orochimaru chuckles and then Xia feels all her muscles from the neck down unintentionally relax, her body unresponsive and numb.

"There. Kabuto-kun, continue the procedure- I'll do the data collection this time…" Orochimaru orders, stepping into view with a metal scale and a 'clipboard'.

Glasses' smile contorts into a twisted twin of his master's and he continues. Xia screams at him and Orochimaru as they perform a vivisection on her, weighing her _organs_ like this is _normal_. The pain is beyond anything Xia has ever known and she can _feel everything_. The numbness in her muscles apparently doesn't affect her pain receptors, which are working just **peachy**.

In all honesty, Xia blacks out several times. Time loses meaning as they continue to yank out parts of her body that never were meant to see the light of day. Eventually, Xia realizes the pain is dulling and sees them replacing her organs back inside her. Glasses is the one that heals the y-shaped incision and gives her a sickeningly joyful smile as he does. Xia glares at him heatedly as they wheel her out of Orochimaru's lab, passing Duckbutt on the way to her cell. At first, he doesn't even seem to notice her, only giving a curious glance before double-taking.

Xia gives him a weary and disdainful glare as he simply stands there, mute while he takes in the sight of Xia strapped down, nude and covered in blood. The guards quickly chain her up and scamper out after she snarls at them. She pulls her knees up and rests her forehead on them, forcing herself to _breath_.

{"Son of a whoring bitch."} Xia whispers to herself, feeling a burning in her eyes.

Grimly she forces back the tears, promising herself that next time she would get the fuck away and then have a good cry. The air in her cell shifts and Xia subtly readies herself for an attack, hiding her eyes behind her hair. Quietly the door closes and Sasuke walks over to her, his face expressionless. But his eyes? His eyes are full of turmoil.

Xia lifts her head fully and glares at him.

"What do_ you_ want?" She hisses.

Sasuke's shoulders tense at the question and he shuffles his feet, not meeting her eyes.

"What's the matter? Don't like what you see?" Xia asks harshly.

Sasuke's eyes meet hers and Xia can read his confusion, hurt and anger.

"… Why did you try to run away?" Sasuke demands.

Xia deadpans.

"Seriously? That's what you ask? Not 'why are you covered in blood and naked'? Not 'how are you doing after being cut open'?"

"Stop dodging the question!"

"Then don't ask questions with fucking obvious answers!" Xia snaps, fed up.

Sasuke glares at her, his Sharingan activating. Xia scoffs, completely unafraid.

"You think your eyes scare me, Duckbutt? Think _again_. Assuming you even _think._" She sneers.

"Dammit, Xia-!" Sasuke swears and Xia laughs at him.

"Well aren't you a fucking child." She observes, her lip curling in distaste.

"You-!" Sasuke hisses, stepping towards her.

Xia uncurls and stands, getting right in his face. Sasuke involuntarily gets an eyeful and fails to control a blush stealing up his face. Xia, having zero shame, chuckles darkly at his discomfort.

"Aw, look at that blush~! So fucking **innocent** for a bastard involved in verboten experiments- tell me, have you even had your first kiss yet?" She pushes.

Sasuke pales then flushes an even brighter red. Xia quirks her eyebrow, intrigued and feels more than a bit justified in making her clan brother discomforted.

"Oh~? You have~? How did she do? I doubt you initiated it, considering…"

Sasuke clenches his jaw and glares. Xia suddenly has a nagging suspicion- and of course she wants to confirm it. Her mouth stretches into a terrifying grin.

"Or was your first time with a _boy_? I wouldn't have pegged you for the type, but eh, the heart wants what the heart wants, aa?" Xia purrs.

Sasuke crackles with lightning chakra, his expression a mix of fury and embarrassment. She merely smirks broader, leaning as far into his space as she can with her hands still chained to the wall.

"Why did you try to run?! It's pointless!" Sasuke hisses, doggedly seeking answers.

Xia's expression goes flat and icy as she stares him down.

"_Why?_ You have the audacity to ask me _why?_ I don't want to stay in a place where they routinely **cut me open** and fucking dissect me like a lab rat! I have other shit I need to do and I can't do that _here_, locked up like a wild animal until they want me to kill someone! And all of this bullshit is **your fault**, you dickless snake whore!" Xia spits.

Sasuke steps back, shocked before quickly covering it up with an arrogant mask. Xia smiles menacingly at him, her eyes piercing and cold, cold, _cold._ Narrowing his own eyes, Sasuke rallies and sneers.

"Hn, maybe I should find your siblings and bring them here so you are all together." He says vindictively.

Immediately Sasuke feels like Death has claws in his throat, suffocating him as his mind supplies multiple visions of his death. Each is more gruesome than the last and not a single one of them is quick or easy. Abruptly, the pressure- the _Killing Intent_, is gone and Sasuke heaves for air as Xia calmly meets his eyes.

"Remember this. If my siblings are captured by your pimp of a master… and I have evidence of your hand in bringing them to him… _**NOTHING will save you from me. **_**Nothing**_**, you little bitch. **_" Xia hisses in his ear.

Sasuke jerks back and shunshins out of her cell, cold sweat running down his spine. Xia sits back down and pulls the remains of her clothing around her, mediating in her dank cell.

…

The next mealtime, Orochimaru himself comes inside her cell, gold eyes glittering malevolently. Xia stands, refusing to stay in a vulnerable position in his presence. Orochimaru smirks in amusement at her clear wariness.

"Xia-chan, I've decided to give you a gift. Sasuke-kun tells me you are more likely to be biddable if you have a Cursed Seal too… And I **agree."**

Xia tenses as he puts his hands in a hand seal- and his fucking neck extends like a snakes'! She jerks her body aside as much as she can, but the chains hamper her mobility and Orochimaru opens his mouth-!

_Chomp._

Xia's mouth opens in a bloodcurdling scream as Orochimaru injects her with his unwholesome chakra. She collapses, convulsing, as her neck **burns**. Orochimaru nods in satisfaction and exits, locking her cell door. Xia pants for air as she feels Orochimaru's vile chakra race down her chakra paths, burning like acid.

_It hurts! IthurtsithurtsithurtsmakeitstopmakeitstopMAKEITSTOP!_ Her mind howls.

Voices start to whisper to her to give in, accept the power offered to her, to be a good girl- doesn't she want to be free? Take the power, they whisper, and all your desires will be granted to you… Xia roars, clutching her head as she tries to block them out.

_Fuck you, you little wimpy voices! I don't want ya! I don't want any of this steaming bullshit! So shut the ever-loving FUCK up! If only I can fucking block this chakra-! Wait a minute, MAGOI can block chakra! I'm an _idiot_!_ Xia mentally face palms at herself.

Her eyes snap open and Xia grits her teeth, keening as she calls for her magoi. It answers her call faithfully and she directs it to envelope and contain the corrosive chakra Orochimaru had 'gifted' her. Sweat pours down her face as she struggles to contain the godawful stuff, grimly fighting for every millimeter of ground. Vaguely she hears the door slot open and food is pushed through the grate. Distracted, the cursed chakra nearly overwhelms her and Xia swears, shoving it back.

_Focus! Don't give in!_ She reminds herself, straining.

Xia ignores all distractions as she battles for control over her own body, barely noticing the passing of time. Meals pile up in front of the door, untouched. It takes the door of her cell opening and Orochimaru staring at her to bring her out of her meditative state. She narrows her eyes at him, fighting to suppress the sudden resurgence of nasty chakra. Glasses walks in ahead of Orochimaru and pauses, incredulous as he stares at the bite site.

"Orochimaru-sama! You need to see this!" Glasses urges, wide-eyed.

Orochimaru, now very curious, examines Xia's neck from a safe distance (he is a Sannin, but Xia had proven sufficiently dangerous). His eyes widen in disbelief.

There is no Curse Mark- he can sense the chakra he had injected her with, but somehow she had successfully blocked access to the rest of her body. It was incomplete- and Orochimaru is beyond gleeful over this unexpected development.

He licks his lips and looks at Kabuto before ordering the incomplete Curse Mark to activate. Xia's jaw creaks but they do not see the tell-tale curse markings. Orochimaru begins to chuckle, delighted.

"Oh, Xia-chan… you really are a mystery worth investigating!" He tells her.

Xia refuses to respond, saving her energy for her internal war.

_In Amegakure…_

Itachi stares at Keiichi in absolute disbelief.

"What?" Itachi manages to get out.

"How long have you been sick?" Keiichi repeats, snagging a notepad and pen while staring at him expectantly.

Itachi pulls on his unreadable persona and hides his panic.

"I don't know what you mean." He says smoothly.

Keiichi rolls his eyes.

"Really? That's strange, since you vomited blood on my floor. Not to mention all the fluid in your lungs must make breathing, much less fighting, extremely painful. Not to mention audible." He casually points out.

Itachi opens his mouth to lie, but Keiichi denies him the chance completely, verbally running him over.

"You're below what your normal weight should be, subsidiary muscle groups are beginning to atrophy, your organs are a fucking mess, **especially** your lungs and don't get me started on your eyes…" Keiichi lists off, exasperated.

Itachi blankly stares at Keiichi and contemplates the best way to keep him quiet. A snapped neck or a kunai to the throat would serve, given their current closeness.

"Oi, I need to know this shit so I can start treatment!" Keiichi snaps, drawing Itachi out of his murderous thoughts.

Itachi blinks.

"Treatment? Why?" He questions.

Keiichi deadpans.

"To heal you, dumbass. I did an initial scan already but I need to do a more in-depth medical scan to determine how bad the disease is, but your eyes? Those I do know how to fix- probably the easier of the two problems, honestly." Keiichi tells him frankly.

Itachi doesn't know what to think and it must have shown on his face.

"Look, I'm a medic- I was trained for this kind of shit. Leader-san basically told me to see if I can patch you up or straight up cure you if I can. And he said no more missions for you until I do at least one round of treatment." Keiichi explains, moving around the room to fetch supplies.

"And we **both** know your eyes are nearly blind and useless." He points out.

Itachi hesitates but given that Pain had laid down the law and Keiichi is literally sealed from injuring or killing him he gives in. Not to mention increasing his chances of surviving to face Sasuke was a large incentive.

"I have been aware of my illness for the past five years. My eyes… They've degraded slowly."

"When did you activate the Mangekyo?" Keiichi questions, scribbling what looks like chicken scratch but must be notes.

Itachi suppresses the urge to twitch at the truly appalling handwriting.

"Seven years ago." He replies curtly.

Keiichi doesn't push him, but his eyes flicker up and appraise him minutely. Whatever his strange clan brother thinks, Keiichi keeps his thoughts to himself as he continues the exam.

"How often do you typically use it?"

"Depends on the mission."

"Alright, typically on A or S class missions, how many times to you use the Mangekyo?"

"… I try to use it a maximum of two uses per day." Itachi clarifies.

"Hmm… alright, I have a baseline now, for better or worse… Shirt off." Keiichi orders off-handedly.

Itachi blinks slowly.

"… Excuse me?"

"Did I stutter?" Keiichi inquires, plunking a big bowl in front of Itachi.

"No, but I fail to see why-"

"Shirt off or it will be ruined by the bullshit pestilence inside your lungs. Oh, and this isn't gonna be fun." Keiichi says cheerfully, pulling out his wand.

"…" Itachi stares at Keiichi apprehensively.

Keiichi smiles deviously.

"Shall we?"

"… This is payback, isn't it?" Itachi states.

"Whatever gave you that idea?" Keiichi laughs, gathering his magoi.

_In Konoha…_

"Samar-chan?! You're a shinobi now?!" Naruto squawks from Kakashi's bedside, much to the older man's annoyance.

Samar smiles slightly at him, her headband proudly bound on her forehead.

"Aa. I passed the genin exam, Naruto-kun. Iruka-sensei says hello, by the way." She answers, beaming at her success.

Kakashi hums in approval, giving Samar a cheery eye smile.

"It looks good, Samar-chan. Take care of my team, ne..?" He beams at her.

Samar blinks but nods firmly.

"Of course, Kakashi-san." She assures him.

Sakura and Tsunade walk in and stop, appraising Samar's new hiate-ate. Tsunade nods approvingly while Sakura gapes in surprise.

"Samar-chan, you're a Leaf shinobi?! When did that happen?!" She exclaims.

Samar smiles shyly, but proudly.

"As of yesterday, Sakura. I look forward to working with you." She says simply to the other kunoichi.

"Speaking of working together; Naruto, Sakura, Samar has been assigned to your upcoming mission along with two others." Tsunade interrupts.

Naruto bounces with excitement while Sakura nods with grim determination.

"Maa, you'll meet my replacement at our regular meeting spot tomorrow at nine- make sure you have enough supplies for the mission." Kakashi comments, not looking up from his book.

Samar nods, albeit hesitantly, and glances at Naruto and Sakura.

"Perhaps we can go train together first and become more familiar with each other's fighting styles." She suggests.

_And discuss the mission details at the training grounds._ She adds in her head.

The two younger shinobi nod in agreement and the trio leaves Kakashi's room. Naruto is practically bursting with energy while Sakura and Samar are more relaxed. Eventually they reach the same training grounds used for their bell test and Samar waits for Naruto to stop bouncing in excitement.

"I was thinking that we pair off in turns, until we've all fought each other then compete in a three-way battle at the end if we still have energy." Samar offers.

Sakura shrugs and Naruto grins, cracking his knuckles.

"Sounds great, dattebayo!" He cheers.

Sakura grins.

"Well, it'll be a nice change of pace!"

Samar nods and glances at them.

"Alright, who would like to go first?"

"Me! Me, me, me, me, me, me!" Naruto waves his hands in the air excitedly.

Samar suppresses a giggle, forcing herself to maintain her poise.

"Alright Naruto-kun, who would you like to fight with first?"

"Hmmm…" Naruto squints and tilts his head, thinking hard.

"Haw about you, Samar-chan? You seem strong, dattebayo!" He decides.

Samar internally sighs but cannot help a surge of anticipation.

_I can use ninjutsu and genjutsu openly… what a change of pace…_ She muses, stepping away from Sakura to approach the middle of the clearing.

Naruto grins and leaps over, landing near Samar. She makes the sign of confrontation at Naruto, who mimics it, and eases into a side stance with the right side of her body facing Naruto to minimize her profile. Naruto cracks his knuckles and immediately goes to create his clones.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!" He yells, clouds of smoke exploding around him.

Samar moves at that instant, shunshinning right in his face and lands a palm strike into his solar plexus. The Naruto clones leap at her, but by then she had sent the real Naruto flying and flicks out a tessen into her waiting left hand. She snaps it open and whirls in place, cutting the clones to pieces and uses the confusion to bury herself underground.

While there, she makes a shadow clone of her own, which promptly digs its way towards the real Naruto. Samar waits patiently and smirks when Naruto bellows with shock as her clone nearly drags him underground. Her clone dispels unfortunately but the rush of memories gives Samar information about the situation above ground. Naruto is hunting her using his clones, warily watching from a tree branch.

_Hmm, time to cast some genjutsus._ Samar decides.

With deliberate care, Samar does the hand signs for Demonic Illusion: False Surroundings Technique then applies Demonic Illusion: Double False Surroundings on top of it. The first genjutsu convinces Naruto that Samar had sprung out of the surrounding trees to attack his main body, engaging him in a very realistic close quarters fight. Her second genjutsu hides her exit from the ground and cloaks her activities from detection.

Swiftly she pulls out her ninja wire and quickly attaches it to key anchor points while her genjutsu keeps Naruto busy, making his senses believe Samar is going for a fully taijutsu assault. Sakura frowns when she notices how Naruto is attacking nothing but air, cataloguing the probable use of genjutsu. Naruto doesn't think anything is wrong as Samar is careful to dispel his clones in tandem with her genjutsu self's attacks with well-aimed shuriken. With a final tie off of her ninja wire, Samar finds a nice vantage point and activates her trap.

The wire, concealed by her second genjutsu, suddenly is singing with tension as it wraps around the real Naruto so tightly he can't do much but wiggle and yell.

"What the heck, dattebayo?!" Naruto screams in shock.

Samar dismantles her illusions and Naruto pales when he realizes what her specialty is.

"Aw crap, you're a genjutsu type Samar-chan?!" He complains, pouting as he hangs upside down.

Samar smiles at him and flicks her wrist to release him from her trap before carefully gathering her ninja wire in a neat coil.

"Naruto-kun, it seems you need more practice dealing with genjutsu attacks. Do you know how to dispel a genjutsu?" She questions him seriously.

Naruto pouts but nods. Samar gives him an arch look that makes Naruto squirm but lets it slide. She glances at Sakura questioningly.

"Sakura, who would you like to fight first?"

Sakura eyes them speculatively then looks at Samar.

"Samar-chan, you up for another fight?" Sakura questions her.

Samar laughs and nods, helping Naruto to his feet.

"Yes. Okaa-san made certain I can keep fighting with minimal rest." She explains to the other kunoichi.

Sakura sweat drops.

"She sounds brutal."

Samar shakes her head, amused.

"No, Sakura, she is pragmatic." She gently corrects her.

Sakura huffs and cracks her knuckles in preparation. Samar flicks her tessen closed but at the ready, reading Sakura's body language.

Sakura opens with a right hook, which Samar knows better than to take head on. Instead, she uses her fan to redirect Sakura's punch away from her body while her free hand aims for a nerve cluster in Sakura's shoulder. Sakura reacts with a swift kick, forcing Samar to dodge and leap backwards. Samar answers while in the air with one of her favorite jutsus.

_Futon: Blade of Wind!_

Samar concentrates chakra to the tips of her free hand and flicks her fingers; Sakura jerks back, a cut appearing on her shoulder.

"Ah! Sakura-chan, you're bleeding!" Naruto yells frantically.

"Shut up, Naruto! I need to concentrate!" Sakura snaps.

Samar uses Sakura's distraction to disappear into the trees, much to Sakura's growing rage. Calmly, Samar watches Sakura search the area for Samar with more caution than Naruto used. She decides to test Sakura since Naruto was so easily fooled by a basic genjutsu; it would be a major problem if both of her teammates are unable to recognize a genjutsu. Her fingers weave together and she casts a genjutsu of mist easing through the trees from the direction of the nearby river.

Samar concentrates on the details: the clammy cold of airborne water sliding on skin, the musky scent and the swirling motion of the mist creeping in. This particular genjutsu is one she had been working on for a while, inspired by her time in Balbaad during the rebellion. It lures the target to subconsciously drop their guard, slowing their reflexes and eventually fall asleep if exposed long enough. Samar calls it her _Sleeping Mist Technique_. She hopes Sakura is capable of figuring it out but adds another element to up the difficulty.

_Suiton: Hiding in Mist Technique!_

Samar breathes out mist, which quickly spreads to cloak the area and hides her genjutsu flawlessly.

_Now, what will you do Sakura?_ Samar muses, sensing Sakura's chakra and magoi twitch in surprise then vibrate with low level unease as the mist, real and unreal, billows around her. Naruto is already slowing down, unaware of the hidden danger despite his recent bout against her.

Samar silently glides closer to Sakura and Naruto, carefully suppressing her chakra to blend in with the mist itself. Sakura growls and punches the ground, releasing a shockwave that clears up the mist slightly- but not all of it. The genjutsu mist wafts in the air, as it failed to dissipate like the ninjutsu mist did. Sakura's eyes widen and she quickly breaks the genjutsu, shivers running down her spine.

Samar nods in satisfaction and forms two Water Clones from the river before starting the next step of her plan. Her first clone throws senbon at Sakura, targeting areas that would paralyze her limbs. Sakura dodges them and charges the clone, who dodges the enhanced punch and flicks open the tessen to slash at her legs. Sakura back flips out of the way and throws shuriken at Samar's clone, who deflects them before shunshinning close to Sakura.

Meanwhile Samar has her second clone get into position behind Sakura in preparation. The first clone spots the second clone, purposefully fumbling a block and Sakura destroys the Water Clone. As the water starts to fall the second clone forms the hand signs for the Water Prison jutsu, using the mist and the other clone's remains to create it.

Sakura tries for a substitution but Samar's clone finishes first her jutsu first, trapping Sakura in a bubble of swirling water. Sakura grimaces and tries to punch her way out- but the water merely redistributes the force, leaving it intact.

"Shit!" Sakura bellows, furious.

Samar releases the Hiding in Mist jutsu and her genjutsu, waking Naruto who goggles at the entrapped Sakura. Then Samar approaches and bows to Sakura.

"Thank you for the match." She says simply before undoing the Water Clone and Water Prison jutsus.

Sakura groans, pushing her soaked hair out of her face.

"Augh, I thought I had that, shannaro!"

Samar nods in understanding.

"You might have, if you had managed to keep it at close range. I am happy you can recognize a genjutsu mid-combat. Although, do you happen to have any elemental jutsus or other methods of attacking longer distances?"

Sakura pauses and shakes her head.

"No, I focused on iryo ninjutsu and getting my body into shape." She admits.

Samar frowns thoughtfully.

"Hmm, we only have today before the mission starts tomorrow so it isn't practical to teach you elemental ninjutsu right now but perhaps we can work on chakra strings and genjutsu as we go. Naruto-kun and I can be your test dummies." She muses.

"Eh?! Wait, why?" Naruto complains, pouting.

"You need to practice breaking genjutsus- that is a major weakness of yours, Naruto-kun. I would not have been able to trap you nearly as easily if you had broken my genjutsu." Samar points out sternly.

Naruto slumps in despair. Samar firmly ignores his moping and looks at Sakura.

"I suppose I should give you both a better idea of my abilities. I have Fire, Water and Wind Releases and I am currently working on Lightning and Earth Release. I use genjutsus which can be centered on a single target, multiple opponents or a wide-spread area. While I am capable of breaking someone's mind, I prefer to remove my opponents from the fight altogether. I am comfortable with various weapons including chakra strings and fighting in close-quarters to long range." She lays out her skills for them.

Naruto and Sakura blink in shock then they simultaneously think;

_We are so lucky she's on our side._

Samar gives them both a warm smile and goes to sit down.

"Now then, Naruto-kun, Sakura, let's see how you do against each other!" She says encouragingly.

Sakura and Naruto stare at her then immediately Sakura goes to punch Naruto, who retreats into the woods. Samar laughs and practices creating chakra strings as she watches the two teammates battle each other.

_The next day…_

Samar is up and packed, waiting at the red bridge for the rest of her team as she watches the sunlight filter through the trees. The rustling of the leaves is very relaxing to listen to as she waits, leaning against the railing. Sakura is the first to show up, wearing her normal outfit and carrying a backpack.

"Good morning, Samar-chan!" Sakura calls out.

Samar nods her head in greeting and continues to listen to the trees, eyes half-closed. Sakura settles next to her and sends furtive glances to the other kunoichi. Samar inwardly feels amused at the similarities between Sakura's and her cousin Isi's behavior.

"Yes, Sakura?" Samar asks.

"U-um, I was wondering what you meant about me using chakra strings." Sakura mumbles.

"Exactly what I said; you have the chakra control necessary to create and manipulate chakra strings. It will help you diversify your skill set and open up alternative methods of fighting or preventing a fight to begin with." Samar explains.

"But Tsunade-shishou doesn't use chakra strings!" Sakura protests, staring at Samar.

Samar hums.

"Mhm, but you are not Tsunade, nor are you obligated to stay in her shadow. You, Sakura Haruno, are a completely different person and so," Samar looks her dead in the eye.

"You do not have to content yourself with only Lady Tsunade's techniques. Find your own way- it's scary sometimes but I think you are capable of more and you do not have to settle for less." She tells her firmly.

Sakura gapes at her but Samar chooses to ignore Sakura's shock in favor of greeting Naruto.

"Good morning, Sakura-chan, Samar-chan!"

"Good morning, Naruto-kun. Do you have everything?" Samar interrogates him, hands on her hips.

"Yes, Samar-chan!" He blusters, his face turning scarlet at her intense stare.

"Good." Samar nods then glances at her teammates.

"So, you never told me yesterday what our mission actually is. Care to share?" Samar verbally prods them.

Sakura and Naruto both blink then Naruto's expression becomes determined.

"We're gonna try to bring back our old teammate, Sasuke Uchiha. He ran away from Konoha about three years ago to work with a rogue nin called Orochimaru-"

"Orochimaru? One of the Sannin?" Samar interrupts.

Sakura nods.

"Yes, he is a former Konoha shinobi and the former teammate of Jiraiya and Tsunade-shishou. One of the Akatsuki has a spy working for Orochimaru and he had arranged a meeting with them in a few days' time. We are going to intercept the meeting and retrieve the information the spy is going to hand over." She explains.

Samar nods in understanding.

_So we are going to intercept information and hopefully learn more about Orochimaru. Sounds plausible._ She muses silently.

"Yeah! Orochimaru's super creepy and experiments on people but he can transfer his soul to a new body every three years and he wants to do that to Sasuke! So we have to get him back first." Naruto finishes.

Samar frowns.

_Uchiha..? He must be descended from Otou-san. But why did he leave in the first place..?_

"But why did Uchiha-san leave?" Samar questions them.

They look away and Samar doesn't fail to notice the degree of unease and disappointment in the pair.

"Sasuke wants to kill his older brother, Itachi, for slaughtering their entire clan in one night. He was convinced that he couldn't become strong enough here in Konoha." Sakura finally answers, refusing to look at Samar.

Samar doesn't bother to conceal her shock- she had known that the Uchiha clan was massacred, but not the details (she had not been allowed access to the reports).

"… And what were Itachi Uchiha's reasons for the massacre?" Samar asks, her mind whirling at this new information.

"Does it matter?!" Naruto yells at her.

Samar stoically meets his glare with her own calm gaze.

"Yes, Naruto, it does. But I suppose that is something that can wait… Our other teammates are here." She tells them.

At her words, a jonin wearing standard Konoha jonin gear and a face plate with black eyes and brown hair appears, quirking his eyebrow at her. On the other side of the bridge a pale boy with a midriff bearing clothes and dark hair and eyes approaches them with a false smile. Sakura eyes them curiously but Naruto glares angrily at the other boy. Samar represses a sigh and turns to the jonin first.

"Good morning. Samar Kouga, genin, reporting for duty." She greets him with a slight bow, Konoha style.

"Good morning. I am Captain Yamato, here to fill in as squad leader while Kakashi-sempai is in the hospital. What are all your names-?"

"Bastard! Why're you here, dattebayo?!" Naruto yells, pointing at the other squad member.

"I was assigned to participate in this mission." He says woodenly.

"Naruto! Knock it off!" Sakura snaps, holding Naruto back.

Samar and Yamato share simultaneous sighs before Samar steps between the two boys.

"Good morning, I am Samar Kouga and I will be working with you for this mission. May I know your name?" She interrupts, addressing the stranger.

He smiles blankly at her.

"You may call me Sai, crone." He answers.

Samar stays composed, merely arching an eyebrow at him and ignores Sai's name for her. She had heard worse, after all (nobody can top Sinbad for disturbing nicknames).

"Sai then, have you met the other members of Team Kakashi yet?" She pushes on, much to her teammates' surprise.

Sai's eyes widen slightly but he answers her promptly.

"I have met Naruto Uzumaki, but not the others, crone."

Samar nods and gestures to Sakura and Yamato.

"Captain Yamato has already introduced himself, but he is our squad leader. Our medic-nin is Sakura Haruno and lastly is Naruto-kun. Please refrain from irritating him, our team will not be able to work together very well if you are constantly baiting him. That said, Naruto-kun, please control your temper." She requests sternly.

"Samar-chan! Why're you letting him call you that?!" Naruto protests.

Samar quirks her eyebrow at him.

"Naruto-kun, why would I allow a mere nickname to compromise my ability to work with others? I see little point in wasting my energy over something so minor." She answers calmly.

Naruto sputters while Yamato appraises Samar in a different light.

_She's more mature than Naruto and Sai are and is willing to intercede to diffuse conflict. Kakashi-sempai was right, she is very teamwork oriented. _

Samar glances at them all then at Yamato with a composed smile.

"Shall we get going? As I understand it, we have a time limit." She remarks.

_In Amegakure…_

"… Who let Itachi into the kitchen?" Keiichi growls, glaring at the other Akatsuki members.

Kisame, Deidara and Hidan wince under his withering stare. Konan, Kakuzu and Pain relax slightly now the sanest member of the Akatsuki is present to deal with Itachi's egg cooking spree. Zetsu hides in the hideout's wall, aware that Keiichi will lock him inside his borg if they tell him it was Zetsu's fault. Tobi bounces around the room, acting like a bumbling idiot as Keiichi twitches.

Thankfully for the Akatsuki, the sizzling of yet more egg captures Keiichi's attention and he stalks silently into the kitchen.

"Out."

"Keiichi-"

"_**OUT."**_ Keiichi orders coldly.

A moment later Itachi is shoved into the main dining area with plates of eggs, looking nonplused.

"All of you eat those or I will let Itachi have free reign in the kitchen again!" Keiichi yells, the sounds of chopping and sizzling filling the kitchen.

The Akatsuki, muffling groans, begrudgingly eat their eggs. An hour of cooking later Keiichi reappears with several platters balanced expertly on his arms. The smell of rich spices wafts from the dishes as he lays them on the table and he stares down all of them.

"Did everyone finish your eggs?" He demands.

Everyone holds up their empty plates for his inspection. Keiichi checks the floor and then the garbage can to see if anyone had 'dropped' their portion, double checks for genjutsu before nodding.

"Alright, {"paella"} with seafood is this one, roasted vegetables is over here- **everyone** is getting some and no complaining Deidara!" Keiichi snaps, shutting up the bomb enthusiast.

"Traditional miso soup and roasted fish is here- Kakuzu, share or more eggs! Onigiri is over here and lastly fried rice with eggs and more vegetables. How the hell you all survived on just eggs before is beyond me…" He grumbles taking his seat next to Kisame.

The table bursts into controlled chaos as they pass the serving dishes under Keiichi's stern gaze. Deidara, Hidan and Tobi pout when Keiichi catches them without the mandated vegetables, plopping larger portions on their plates as punishment. Attempts to secretly get rid of said vegetables are met with failure as Keiichi and Kakuzu are on guard. They may dislike each other, but both agree throwing away food is a terrible waste. Eventually the food is eaten and Kakuzu gathers the plates to be washed. Konan silently goes to assist while other members disperse throughout the base.

Well, most of them.

"Keiichi-kun!"

Keiichi represses a growl and sends an icy stare at Deidara, who pauses at the significant Killer Intent oozing from the magician.

"**What."** Keiichi clips out.

Kisame and Itachi exchange glances, knowing that Deidara's 'request' could very well send Keiichi over the limit of his tolerance towards the blond. Pain pauses at the exit, realizing the situation could easily end with the base leveled if ignored.

"Keiichi-kun, show me your art!" Deidara demands passionately.

Keiichi twitches.

"Deidara. What did I say the last time you asked me that?" He questions him with a level, even reasonable tone.

Kisame and Itachi respectively shudder or still at the hidden wrath Keiichi is barely repressing. Deidara doesn't notice and continues to push.

"But Keiichi-kun, I heard your explosions are wonderful, un! Show me, un!" Deidara badgers him.

Keiichi ignores him to glare at Kisame.

"I blame you for this." He states flatly.

Kisame winces and silently regrets mentioning _that_ aspect of Keiichi's skills to Deidara. Keiichi turns and pins Deidara with his stare.

"Deidara. I said if you bothered me about this again I would cram every raw egg I can get my hands on down your throat- shall we see how many you can swallow before you vomit?" Keiichi asks, standing.

Deidara blanches and takes a step back while Itachi silently approves of Keiichi's self-control for not attacking the irritating missing nin outright. Kisame shakes his head while Pain retreats to his office as Deidara wails for mercy.

…

"How's it going?" Kisame asks, watching Keiichi etch what looks like seals into his sword.

"Hn." He grunts, blowing off the metal shavings.

"… How's Itachi doing?" Kisame probes, worry showing in his voice.

Keiichi pauses his etching and glances at Kisame before activating a privacy seal. Kisame's eyebrow shoots up but he doesn't question it- the brat is rightly paranoid, after all.

"Better. I extracted all the bacteria growing in his lungs and healed the lesions lining most of his internal organs. He needs to rest and to abstain from training right now along with eating foods with vitamins and other nutrients to boost his immune system. I patched his eyes so he's not half-blind anymore but a permanent fix is beyond me unless he has his sibling's or parent's eyes stashed somewhere." Keiichi sighs, covering his mouth as he talks.

Kisame blinks.

"Why would you-?"

"Don't ask unless you want a gory history lesson. It's not pretty and frankly I hope Itachi listens to me and doesn't use his Sharingan or Mangekyo. Otherwise, he **will** end up blind unless he gets near constant healing after each mission." Keiichi cuts him off.

Kisame nods in understanding. Keiichi levels a glare at him, sitting back against the wall.

"Keep an eye on him- he may not look it, but Itachi can be a reckless idiot." Keiichi grimaces.

"Sure thing, brat." Kisame vows.

The two shinobi share a silent moment of agreement before Keiichi deactivates the seal and goes back to work.

_Orochimaru's base…_

Xia forces her eyes open when she hears the lock disengage, watching the door swing open. A familiar silhouette gives Xia an idea of who is visiting her. Sasuke stares at her, more specifically her neck and his eyes widen in disbelief.

"… How?" He whispers.

Xia lifts her head and Sasuke involuntarily jolts at how wane her features had become. Her body had grown more angular from her constant use of magoi, consuming her fat reserves, and ugly veins had formed on her cheeks. Xia knows she is going to hit her limit soon and then it's a coin toss if she survives or not. She chuckles wanly at his shock and rests her chin on her knees, watching him.

"You don't need to know." She tells him.

Sasuke frowns in anger and frustration and begins to pace. Xia just watches him, feeling exhaustion dragging at her. He pauses and glares at her.

"Orochimaru said you weren't eating or sleeping. Why?"

"Why do you think?" Xia says tiredly.

"… Whatever you are doing must require a lot of concentration. So much you won't risk sleeping- but why won't you accept the Curse Mark?!" Sasuke demands hotly.

Xia rolls her eyes at him.

"Why would I want power that would leave me chained like a dog, power that I had not honed myself nor earned by my own efforts? It's not worth the price. You may be content with your lot, but me? No, I will not ever accept this twisted _gift_ as anything more than a curse. Even if it means my death, I won't accept it." Xia states coolly.

Sasuke freezes and something clicks in his mind.

"You're dying." He whispers, horror growing inside of him.

"Not yet. But soon, if I can't figure out a way to purge this." Xia answers.

Rage and despair boils inside of him, leaving Sasuke barely able to speak. His fists clench and he feverishly tries to think of a way around this. Xia stays quiet for a moment, reading his body language and expression for clues into his mental state. He lifts his eyes and Xia grimaces at the craziness and desperation she reads there.

"But if you fall asleep-!"

"I would commit suicide rather than live as Orochimaru's pet. Am I clear, Sasuke Uchiha?" Xia growls, lifting her head to glare at him.

Sasuke gapes at her and Xia nods when she sees he had heard her.

"Don't get me wrong. I **want** to live. But not on Orochimaru's terms or anyone else's." Xia tells him.

Sasuke looks away, unable to handle the intense glare Xia has pinned him under. She sighs, leaning back against the wall.

"… Then there's no way you'll survive." Sasuke whispers.

Xia waits a beat before speaking.

"… There may yet be a way. But you need to help me." Xia tells him.

Sasuke's head snaps up and he stares at her intently.

"What kind of help?" He demands warily.

Xia grins, showing her teeth.

"Bring me my sword. That's it."

Sasuke stares at her in disbelief.

"What can a sword do?! It won't save you, Xia!" He yells at her.

Xia rolls her eyes.

"Well, if you're not going to help out, leave. I have better things to do than talk to a reprobate like you." She orders coldly.

Sasuke wavers and exits her cell, slamming the door behind her. Xia waits for his magoi to reach a respectable distance before grimly dislocating her thumbs to slide her hands free of the shackles. Her ankle chains she picks open using a thin bone from one of her discarded meals. All at once she can feel the rush of her chakra flowing through her weary body as she pops her thumbs back into place. She considers the door and shrugs, breaking the hinges before sauntering out into the hallway.

The Curse Mark throbs but Xia suppresses it absently.

"Right, sword first, then food, clothes and finally fucking up Orochimaru's day." She decides and grins evilly.

Things are about to go to hell in a handbasket.

_With Team Kakashi…_

Samar frowns as Captain Yamato continues his interrogation of Sasori's spy, her senses twinging. She scans the area again and narrows her eyes. At the very edge of her perception Samar detects a different source of magoi on the opposite side of the bridge.

"Tell Captain there is another unidentified chakra signature on the other side of the bridge." Samar reports in an undertone.

Sai blinks at her while Sakura and Naruto exchange glances before mumbling the information into the headset. Sakura nods at whatever Yamato says in response and looks at Samar.

"Clone?" She questions.

Samar focuses then grimaces at the disgusting feeling of the other person's magoi.

"Negative. Whoever it is, they are real." She responds.

Unease runs down her spine then she straightens.

"Unidentified target is approaching at speed- they will be at the bridge in less than a minute." Samar reports.

A second figure joins the one called 'Kabuto' on the bridge; he is tall and pale with long black hair and a truly bizarre outfit. They speak to Yamato for a moment before they attack suddenly. Samar grimaces as Yamato's cover is blown and joins the others when they are signaled to assist in the confrontation. Samar stays close to Sakura; Yamato had decided since Samar was proficient at all ranges that she would assist Sakura and keep her alive.

The pale man licks his lips with an absurdly long tongue and eyes them.

"Oh? What cute little shinobi you have…" He croons.

"Orochimaru!" Naruto yells, bristling.

_Well, that solves the issue of his identity._ Samar thinks wryly.

She keeps her hands free but near her weapons, eyeing the two men before her. Orochimaru seems to enjoy goading Naruto and Captain Yamato; Samar immediately pegs him as a manipulator and sadist. She glances at Sakura and signs a quick question at her.

"_Kabuto skills?"_

Sakura doesn't hesitate to reply.

"_Iryo Ninjutsu."_

Samar's violet eyes narrow, considering their opponents.

_Kabuto is not as dangerous as his master and he is no longer useful. Captain can hold off Orochimaru with Naruto and Sai while Sakura and I kill Kabuto. Distance is preferred, but if that changes to close quarters combat use weapons rather than hand-to-hand._ She analyzes.

"Tell me, Naruto-kun, who do you think is stronger now? You? Or Sasuke-kun?" Orochimaru taunts Naruto.

Samar jolts when she feels the surge of a darker, more violent chakra explodes from Naruto and cloak his body. It reminds her of a Djinn Equip- albeit an uncontrolled one as Naruto takes on the appearance of a beast with three waving tails. As she watches a fourth tail erupts and joins the others. Samar sighs loudly as Naruto vibrates with bloodlust and charges Orochimaru.

She glances at Sakura and Sai, quirking her eyebrows.

"Well, that was unexpected." She remarks dryly.

Sakura shoots her an incredulous stare, which she ignores, while Yamato and Sai race off to chase their crazed teammate and Orochimaru. Samar shifts to stand slightly ahead but not directly in front of Sakura, blocking any easy attacks from Kabuto. Her fingers fly through the hand signs for Blade of Wind and she fires off her first shot while simultaneously drawing her tessen.

Kabuto barely dodges it and Samar doesn't hesitate to engage, her fingers flicking a volley of razor sharp air while she checks in on Sakura.

_Shaken. She needs to snap out of it._ Samar decides.

"Sakura, **focus!**" She barks, forcing Kabuto back with a well-placed strike to his knee, slicing the tendons.

Sakura flinches then refocuses on the fight before them. Samar nods when she notes Sakura has her head in the game and uses her fan as a conductor for her wind jutsu, increasing her Blade of Wind's range and precision. Kabuto grits his teeth as Sakura races to engage him while Samar stays close to her side, warding off any kunai or shuriken flung their way. Sakura nails a good punch into his gut when Samar forces his guard open with a miniature whirlwind.

Kabuto calculates his odds and finds them lacking; so he runs, having healed his knee, throwing a smoke bomb down to cover his escape. Samar deadpans, channeling wind chakra into her tessen to clear the smoke but Kabuto is long gone to her annoyance.

"Drat, he's gone." Samar grumbles, sensing for his magoi and finding it a ridiculous distance away.

An explosion in the distance catches their attention and Samar sighs again.

"I suppose we should go stop Naruto-kun's rampage." She remarks to Sakura.

Sakura shakes her head, resigned to the insanity that is her life. Samar feels _slightly_ sorry for her fellow kunoichi but knows there is little she can say to make her feel better. They approach cautiously and spot Naruto in the middle of a massive crater, having a hissy fit.

Samar scans for her teammates and finds Yamato approaching their position but Sai is a ways off, following Orochimaru. She frowns but prioritizes her enraged teammate over the emotionally stifled one, reasoning Sai can handle himself. Sakura goes to leap closer but Samar stops her with a raised hand.

"No, I'll go first. Give ranged back up if needed but only come down if I give an all clear, understood? Do not draw his attention unless someone is about to die." She demands, glaring at Sakura.

Sakura winces but nods, pulling out shuriken. Samar steadies herself before shunshinning in front of Naruto.

"Naruto-kun!" She calls softly, reading his chakra and magoi.

_Rage, glee, bloodlust, madness, wariness, curiosity-_ she breaks off her assessment when he pounces at her, maw open.

Samar narrows her eyes and dances out of his reach, expertly avoiding his tails as they lash at her.

"Naruto-kun, anger is not going to help right now!" Samar snaps, shunshinning away from his claws.

Naruto bellows and starts gathering chakra; Samar's eyes widen and she mentally swears as she activates her Sharingan while quickly casting a genjutsu on her eyes. The world slows down and Samar uses substitution to avoid the chakra ball of death Naruto fires at her. Yamato arrives and starts flying through hand signs while Sakura signs a command at Samar.

"_Keep enemy occupied." _

Samar sighs and nods, drawing her knives and grimly focusing magoi into them. Naruto snaps his head around and cocks his head inquisitively before snarling loudly. She waits a moment and isn't disappointed when Naruto lunges at her again. This time, Samar body flickers past him and slices through one of his tails. His reaction is immediate as he howls in rage and whirls on her, clawing and biting. Samar dips and spins around his blows in a deadly dance, cutting at him when he draws too close.

Abruptly, Naruto pauses and his tails lash out. Samar dodges the first three and fails to avoid the fourth in time, barely throwing herself the same direction as the impact to lessen the impact. She forces chakra into her muscles and bones to keep them from snapping as she bounces across the ground. At the flare of Yamato's chakra and Naruto's subsequent howl, Samar knows Yamato has finally activated his jutsu. Moaning, Samar rolls over to see the cloak of chakra around Naruto fading away, revealing heavy injuries he had sustained in his fight against Orochimaru.

Sakura races over and hesitates between the two of them, torn. Samar waves her away, wincing.

"See to Naruto-kun first then you can poke and prod me," She teases, deactivating her Sharingan and genjutsu.

Sakura nods and starts to heal their troublesome teammate while Samar studies the clouds in the sky. Footsteps alerts her to Yamato's presence as he crouches near her, staring impassively at her. She meets his stare with a neutral one of her own, quirking her eyebrow.

"Yes, Captain?"

"I am sorry I didn't get here sooner- how was your fight with Kabuto?"

"Brief. He stayed on the defensive mostly while I pressured him with wind jutsus and Sakura engaged at close quarters. Kabuto ran away fairly quickly, which allowed us to regroup with you and Naruto. I am curious, did you send Sai to track Orochimaru?" She inquires quietly.

Yamato blinks at her before shaking his head.

"No I did not. How did you-?"

"I am not a sensor type, but my uncle taught me a technique that allows for similar abilities." She clarifies.

Yamato nods and grimaces.

"Samar Kouga, you may not speak of Naruto Uzumaki's transformation and subsequent behavior unless the Hokage requests details. This is an order."

Samar tilts her head for a moment before speaking.

"Captain Yamato, I do not know what happened to Naruto-kun but hiding important information from his team can lead to deadly results. I will keep my silence, but both Sakura and I need answers or at the very least the basics concerning Naruto's condition. Is this amiable to you?"

Yamato purses his lips before nodding sharply.

"Fine. Can you walk?" He demands.

Samar winces but pushes herself to her feet and staggers over to Sakura, who immediately starts to scold her as she finishes patching up Naruto.

Yamato sighs as the two kunoichi level polite or furious glares at him, silently demanding answers. In his head Yamato girdles himself for an intense interrogation. He is not disappointed.

_Orochimaru's base…_

Xia grins as she draws her sword free of its sheath.

"Found you." She chuckles, the Star of Solomon glowing brightly.

She focuses and channels her magoi into the blade.

_**{"Spirit of Warriors and Intemperance, answer my call with all of thine brethren, fulfill my will and bequeath me with strength! Sekhmet!"}**_ She chants.

Her arms transform into her Partial Djinn Equip, golden fur sprouting and thick claws replacing her fingernails. Bronze gauntlets defend her forearms and Xia sighs as she feels her Djinn help her suppress the Curse Mark.

'_My king! What happened to you?! Why does it feel like you have Black Rukh inside of you?!'_ Sekhmet roars in her mind.

'A lot. Long story short, it's fucked up chakra and I need your help removing it.' Xia sums up, ignoring all the inconsequential details like her being experimented on and tortured.

'_Of course, my king!' _Sekhmet growls.

Xia smiles wanly and grasps her left shoulder where Orochimaru bit her- and sinks her claws in, trying to reach the chakra. Sekhmet works in concert, confining the Curse Mark's chakra into an incredibly dense mass and forcing it closer to the surface of her skin. Blood oozes down her chest as Xia roots for the Curse Mark and with a hiss rips it out. Sekhmet quickly floods the area with magoi, eradicating any traces of Orochimaru's chakra while Xia contemplates the pulsing mass of malevolent chakra in her hand.

Then she seals it into a scroll she had prepared beforehand and groans, rolling her shoulder.

"Fuuuuuuuck, that feels so much better!" She whispers, dispelling her Partial Equip and ceasing her magoi manipulation simultaneously.

Absently she calls her chakra and it soothes the abuse to her body as she binds her shoulder with gauze she had stolen.

'_My king, what will you do now?'_ Sekhmet asks, his voice full of worry.

'Escape and fuck up Orochimaru's day at the same time- it'll be great!' Xia tells him cheerfully, devouring a ration bar.

'_How so, my king?'_

'Hmm, steal his research, blow up his labs, free the other inmates, kill his guards… I've had a while to think about this.' She remarks, eating a second ration bar.

'_I see. Do you have everything for your plan?'_ Sekhmet probes, knowing of Xia's occasional forgetfulness.

Xia nods and crumples the wrappers in her hand before burning them with a tightly controlled burst of flames streaming from her lips. She glances around the storage room and smirks at the abundance of paper, scrolls and other essential objects for Orochimaru's labs. Her mouth curls into a terrifying smile as she quickly makes three shadow clones and starts drawing explosive seals.

Xia has a lot to do and not much time to complete all her objectives; but she does love a good challenge.

_With Team Kakashi…_

Samar stays composed when they capture Sai and begin to interrogate him. His matter-of-fact answers and muted emotional responses in his magoi and chakra paints a very dark picture for Samar. Naruto is outraged by Sai's lack of emotions and barbed comments, causing no end of frustration for Team Kakashi. Samar shares a glance with Sakura and Yamato, tapping her leg once. Moments later, Kabuto bursts from cover and destroys Sai's bindings. Samar shifts to cover Sakura again and snaps her tessen open in preparation for battle. Kabuto sneers angrily at her and glances at Sai.

"Let's go, Sai." He commands.

Sai tilts his head and Samar narrows her eyes at the decisiveness she is feeling from his chakra; her misgivings abate slightly when Sai helps capture Kabuto. Samar pulls out two senbon and forces them into very specific points in Kabuto's neck. He goes limp, sagging in his bindings. Sakura nods to her and they finish stashing Kabuto away.

Yamato sighs and glances at them all.

"I hate to do this, but to search effectively we need to split up. Remember, if you see Orochimaru **do not engage.** Samar, stick with Sakura, Sai you're with Naruto since you're getting along."

Naruto nods while the two kunoichi exchange glances. The quintet splits into their search parties, sneaking through the base. Samar silently prays that everyone comes out alright.

_Elsewhere in the base…_

Xia resists the urge to whistle at the towering shelves stuffed with scrolls and books. She pulls out another storage scroll and nods to her shadow clones; with ruthless efficiency, the room is stripped bare in a matter of minutes. Xia nods in satisfaction and walks up to the ceiling, attaching an explosive seal before dropping back down. Then she moves on to her next objective: jail break!

Xia silently retraces her steps back to the cells, draws her sword and directs her shadow clones to unlock the cells. Doors start to swing open and Xia hears movement as the occupants creep out, flinching when they spot her. Once her clones had finished opening the doors, Xia lets out a low whistle to catch their attention.

Her hands flicker through basic hand signs, giving them four very simple orders.

"_Follow clone, kill guards, do not be seen, escape now."_

Many eyes widen, recognizing her from the gladiator pit. Perhaps it was fear that made them agree rather than hope, but Xia doesn't particularly care too much so long as they got out. Her clone beckons and her fellow prisoners follow, to her relief. Xia smirks and plasters the cells with explosive seals before heading to another lab one of her clones had discovered.

Sadly, there are lab technicians present when she arrives but they aren't really a challenge. Xia bares her teeth in a cold smile and shunshins, cutting their throats before they even have a chance to stop her. She glances around the room, gaze stopping on a tall vat of… water? Xia tilts her head, walking over to it. She can sense magoi and chakra in it but doesn't see anyone; it's baffling!

Abruptly the chakra condenses and a lean teenage boy around her age appears. His purple eyes light up when he notices how all the technicians are dead and he grins, showing off shark teeth. His white-blue hair floats in the tank as he studies her before laughing.

"Well shit! You work fast, don't you?" He asks her.

Xia rolls her eyes.

"They weren't exactly a challenge." She points out, tapping her sword on her shoulder.

He snorts, folding his arms across his chest.

"I'll give you that, but seriously! You were merciless! Didn't even give them time to fight back!" He crows.

Xia cocks her hip.

"Well duh. If they're helping with those shitty ass experiments they deserve death." She replies, studying the tank carefully.

"That said, you want out?" Xia demands.

His eyes widen and he gapes at her before grinning widely.

"Fuck yes I do!" He answers.

Xia nods and charges her sword with ample earth chakra as she assumes a stance.

"Brace yourself, whitey." She warns him before _blurring._

The vat **explodes** into thousands of glass shards and the water cascades everywhere, soaking Xia. She glances around and sees a section of the water reforming into Whitey. He stretches and laughs, clearly enjoying his freedom. Xia nods in satisfaction and turns to leave before remembering something important.

"Oi, Whitey. You can follow my clone outside- I'm blowing this base sky high in about an hour so you might want to get a move on." Xia tells him before walking out.

Suigetsu stares after her and wonders if he'll ever meet her again. He glances at her shadow clone and smirks at her. The clone rolls her eyes and beckons him to follow her. Suigetsu saunters after the clone and sneaks closer.

"Ne, what's your name? Mine's Suigetsu Hozuki!"

The clone glances at him and smirks in response.

"Original's name is Xia Kouga. Now let's move it!"

Suigetsu absently nods, his mouth mouthing her name before grinning.

"I like her- and her sword!" He remarks.

The clone rolls her eyes.

"Good luck trying to take it from her- she'll murder you." She says dryly.

Suigetsu cackles, his hands folded behind his head.

"Feisty, I like it!"

_Back with Xia…_

Xia clears out the lab of all its papers and rolls up her last storage scroll, tucking it inside another scroll before stashing _that_ into a seal tattooed onto her forearm. She starts to stand when she senses a new presence quickly approaching her position. Narrowing her eyes, she moves to just left of the door, palming a scalpel and waits. Xia isn't disappointed when a blond boy wearing an orange and black jumpsuit charges into the room.

She moves fast and wraps her arm around his throat, scalpel digging into his jugular while with her other hand she forms a blade of fire chakra. He squawks in surprise as Xia tightens her grip.

"Who are you?" She hisses in his ear.

"Wha! Uh, um Uzumaki Naruto, dattebayo!" He squeaks, rigid.

Xia narrows her eyes.

"Who are you working for and why are you here?" She presses, lifting her blade of fire so he can see it.

He gulps and Xia can smell his fear sweat.

"U-Um, I'm from Konoha and we're here because Orochimaru is?" He stammers.

Xia tilts her head doubtfully.

"You don't sound very sure about that." She points out.

Naruto is really sweating bullets now as he tries to figure out a way to convince her to not kill him. Xia almost finds the situation amusing if it weren't so serious. She decides to throw him a bone and a test rolled up in one neat package.

"Who are the two founders of Konohagakure?" She demands.

Naruto blinks and tries to remember and comes up with a blank.

_Oh no, I can't remember! Ack! She's gonna kill me! _Naruto thinks in his head, panicking.

"**Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara."** The Kyuubi rumbles in his mind.

Naruto's jaw drops.

_Eh?! What the hell, Kyuubi?! Why are you-_

"**Answer her, idiot, before she cuts your throat!"** He snaps angrily.

"S-Senju Hashirama and U-Uchiha Madara." Naruto stammers, praying for the first time in his life that the Kyuubi is right.

Xia pauses, considers, and then releases him. Naruto spins to face her and jumps back to gain some space, eyeing her warily. She smirks at him, spinning the scalpel between her fingers as she scans him and stops on his headband. Her coal black eyes glint as she hides the scalpel somewhere in her (clearly) stolen clothes and show her empty hands.

"Sorry about that- the snake bastard is a cunning son of a whore." She admits freely.

Naruto is floored by her abrupt change in attitude, gaping openly. Xia quirks her eyebrows at him.

"What? You didn't think he's all sunshine and rainbows, did you? Anyways, if you're really from Konoha, I've got intel they'll be interested in and you might want to leave this shithole sooner rather than later. I **might** have rigged it to blow up within the next hour or so." She says cheerfully.

"Wha-?"

"So take me to your squad leader! They'll probably be less likely to attempt murder if you introduce us, ya know? Come on, we don't have time to waste Blondie! Actually, I'll come and find you, I still need to check one more room." Xia orders, pulling open the door.

Naruto's jaw is on the floor and his eyes bulging at this strange turn of events.

"Oi! Who're you, dattebayo?!" He exclaims, staring at her.

She glances at him and her mouth quirks sardonically.

"Xia. Xia Kouga." She answers.

Naruto blinks and wonders where he had heard the name 'Kouga' before. At her glare he refocuses on finding Sasuke before Sai does and before Xia's bombs go off. She smirks at him before vanishing into yet another room as he races down the hallway.

_With Samar and Sakura…_

An explosion rocks the base and Sakura charges ahead leaving Samar behind in her surprise. Groaning, Samar steps up and floods her limbs with chakra to increase her speed to keep up with the runaway medic-nin. She spots Sakura in a space flooded with sunshine, about to punch Sai when a voice catches her friend's attention.

"Sakura?"

She glances up at someone out of sight and stiffens.

"Sasuke…" Sakura whispers.

Samar narrows her eyes and quickly moves into the open, startling Sasuke and Sai as she positions herself to cover her teammates. She meets familiar coal black eyes and stoically stares down a younger version of Izuna-oji with spiky hair. His mouth twists as he glares at her before shifting his gaze to Sakura again.

"Another new teammate? Where's Naruto, Sakura? Or did you have to replace him too?" He demands.

Sakura bristles but Samar minutely shakes her head at her before calmly staring at Sasuke.

"Why don't you come and see for yourself?" Samar answers, her tone even.

Sasuke narrows his eyes at her.

"I wasn't talking to you, _weakling_." He growls.

Samar raises an eyebrow.

"You believe you can determine another's worth without even knowing them? How presumptuous of you, Sasuke Uchiha." She reprimands him.

He opens his mouth to reply when Naruto bursts into the room, skidding awkwardly. Sasuke's eyes gleam with an unhealthy light as Samar watches him confront his former best friend. Naruto stands up straight and glares at Sasuke.

"Sasuke!" He snaps, almost in a scolding manner.

"Naruto." Sasuke answers condescendingly.

"Come back to Konoha! Orochimaru's just using you so he can have your Sharingan!" Naruto urges him.

"Back? Why would I want to go back? Konoha has nothing to offer me aside from worthless 'bonds'." He sneers.

"Orochimaru is going to take over your body! It's nearly time for him to switch bodies again and if he does you won't exist anymore! It'll just be him, wearing your skin!"

Samar restrains a shudder at this new bit of information, sliding her tessen into her palm for comfort.

"I don't care so long as I kill Itachi. I'll do anything to see my goal completed, even if it means I cease to exist." Sasuke states.

Samar wants to roll her eyes at his dramatics.

_How shortsighted. _She notes with an internal sigh.

Abruptly she notices Sasuke tensing to leap and she shunshins in front of Naruto, forcing Sasuke to land further away than he intended. He glares at her and his eyes turn a familiar crimson.

"You're in the way." He snaps and tries to trap her in a genjutsu.

Operative word being _tries_. Samar easily brushes it off with contemptuous ease, meeting his eyes calmly and without any fear.

"That was unrefined and clumsy. You could do better." She states coolly.

His eyes flash and Sasuke sneers, going to draw his sword.

"Get out of the way, this doesn't involve you." He snaps at her, blade glinting.

Samar smiles sweetly at him and blurs, her tessen slamming into his wrist when he tries to cut her in two. She timed it so Sasuke had not built up enough momentum to keep the blade swinging in her direction. Sasuke grits his teeth as he retreats from the annoying violet eyed girl, his wrist stinging in a way that tells him it may be broken. Samar's smile sends chills down his spine as she starts to emit Killer Intent directly at him.

"Naruto, Sai and Sakura are my teammates. You disparaging them or trying to kill them **is** my business. I am clear, Uchiha?"

Naruto gapes at her while Sakura bites her lip and Sai observes carefully. Sasuke narrows his eyes before smirking.

"I guess you're a good warm up." He muses.

Samar doesn't flinch when he shunshins, already reading his magoi and fluidly spins, snapping open her tessen to redirect his sword. He narrows his eyes and lightning starts to scream down his blade, seeking her flesh. Samar calmly channels earth chakra into her fan and spins it back over her wrist to knock Sasuke's sword askew. He frowns and his hand is suddenly coated in lightning as well, _chirping_ of all things.

Samar stands her ground and forms the Tiger hand seal.

_Katon: Fire Dragon Bullet!_

A stream of brilliant blue flames explodes from her mouth and forces Sasuke to dodge, driving him away from her teammates. The heat from the flames melts the wall and floor, leaving glowing patches of molten stone. Sakura stares at her openly while Sai seems speculative- Naruto on the other hand doesn't seem to have eyes for anyone but Sasuke.

"SASUKE!" Naruto yells, charging him.

Samar swears and tries to substitute with him but the damage is done. Sasuke catches Naruto's gaze with the Sharingan, knocking him unconscious and Samar feels her blood run cold with chilling rage. Sakura jumps in, aiming to punch Sasuke but he contemptuously avoids it and brings his sword back-! Samar intervenes, catching his sword with her fan and kicks Sasuke in the abdomen.

"Get Naruto out of here! Check his chakra pathways!" Samar commands, dodging a retaliatory lightning blade.

Yamato pings on her radar to her relief but Samar knows she's going to have to step up. Grimly she molds chakra in her belly before spitting an azure fireball in Sasuke's face without hand signs. He substitutes but Samar pursues, pulling out her second tessen and beginning the fight in earnest. Sasuke growls and tries to break her guard with incredibly fast strikes but Samar has been taught by the best. Knowing he has both height and weight on her, Samar focuses on precision, speed and technique, deflecting his blows instead of letting him apply his greater strength.

Sai paints several ink beasts which charge Sasuke but he defeats them soundly with a massive fireball. Samar, in his moment of inattention, stabs his collarbone with the sharp tines of her war fan and slams the butt of the other into his solar plexus. Sasuke flies back but crouches on the wall, glaring angrily at her. Yamato makes his move, trying to snare Sasuke with his Mouton but Sasuke burns it to ash. He shunshins and stabs Yamato through the shoulder with his sword. And to make it worse, Sasuke was channeling lightning chakra through the blade.

Samar glances at Sai and gives him specific instructions via code.

"_Retrieve comrade, get to medic, protect team."_ She orders.

Sai nods and makes a distraction with more of his paintings. Samar opens both tessen and channels wind chakra into them before mimicking one of her father's signature techniques. Both war fans snap forth and a **wall** of solid air smashes into Sasuke, sending him flying. Yamato, thankfully, had been rescued by Sai and sweat drops at the way everything between her and Sasuke is **flattened**. Sasuke gets to his feet and snarls at her wordlessly, not nearly as calm as he was at the beginning of their encounter.

Samar gives him a coolly polite expression in return: she has no reason to stoop to his level, after all. He narrows his eyes and tries to catch her in a genjutsu again but Samar breaks it with minimal effort. She mentally rolls her eyes at his childish behavior. He shunshins and Samar rushes to meet him, snapping her left tessen closed. They exchange blows, adding in taijutsu in an attempt to overwhelm each other but they are relatively evenly matched.

Until Samar's foot slips on a stray piece of rubble and compromises her guard. Sasuke doesn't even pause before taking advantage, slamming his sword through her stomach. Samar winces, grabbing the blade and forces magoi into it before he can channel lightning chakra. She glances up at him and blinks at his stunned expression. In the reflection of his eyes she realizes she had unconsciously activated her own Sharingan.

"You're-!" He whispers, shell-shocked.

"**SAMAR!"** A very familiar voice screams as Samar collapses.

…

Xia was having a decent day, a _great_ day even, until she walked down a corridor and saw her baby sister being stabbed through her stomach. She couldn't see anything, focus on anything, other than the horrifying sight of her sister being **stabbed** by one of their own kin. Rage and aching sorrow builds in her gut and her Sharingan unconsciously activates: then bleeds into a new pattern. A red sunburst, striking against a black background, with a black pupil in the center replaces the normal Sharingan pattern. Blood seeps down her cheeks but Xia doesn't, **can't** be bothered to care.

She screams for her and sees Samar turn her head to look at her before she falls to the ground in a pool of her own blood. Sasuke is standing, stunned, above her and looking so _guilty_ as he holds his sword. The same sword that cut Samar, her imouto, open. In the distance, Xia can hear Sekhmet trying to talk to her but she is **so ANGRY**. And Samar, her adorable, smart, wonderful sister is laying there motionless as the ground is stained crimson with her blood.

Xia lifts her gaze to Sasuke, _Samar's killer,_ and looks him dead in the eyes. He flinches and opens his mouth to say something- but Xia has had **enough**.

"You're dead." She says simply.

Then she _moves._

**Dun dun DUN~! Cliff hanger! Please remember to review and comment, I love feedback and hearing your thoughts! Next chapter will be back in the PAST with Ilona and the Founders and oh boy the shenanigans~! **


	9. Changes and Consequences (Past)

**Hey everyone! We are back in the Past with Ilona and Co. As always I own nothing but my OCs and plot twists~! Naruto doesn't belong to me, if it had many things would be different and Magi doesn't either. Please remember to review and comment, it is always appreciated! **

**Now, on with the show!**

_The Past…_

"Are you certain you wish to leave?"

"Yes." Ilona says shortly, tying her saddle bags into place.

Madara frowns, folding his arms as he glares at her. Ilona expertly ignores him, soothing her mount as she double checks the horse's hooves for stones. Satisfied, she turns back to him and allows her stoic expression to soften slightly.

"Thank you, for everything." She tells him.

"Hn." Madara grunts.

Madara gazes at her and ruefully acknowledges Ilona was not who he had expected her to be. When he had offered to hire her on as a mercenary after they returned to the compound, she had flatly refused. Madara had pressured her into explaining why and her answer was unabashedly forthright and cutting.

"_I will not participate in a war that fields children as soldiers and whose bloodied origin is lost to time."_

He shakes himself out of his thoughts, watching as Ilona mounts in her modified clothing. All the garments Izuna and Madara had donated were stripped of the Uchiha clan symbol and trimmed in crimson at the neck and sleeves. When Izuna had asked why she chose red, her expression became distant. Ilona had explained she couldn't remember her clan symbol beyond its color and the significance of it.

"_Crimson for good fortune, courage and enduring love."_ She had told them.

Izuna had teased her for it, but Ilona had refused to be embarrassed. She had gotten even by altering Izuna's favorite mantle in scarlet and left it out for him to see. The face Izuna had made was preserved forever with the Sharingan (Madara couldn't help it, Izuna's expression was too funny).

Running footsteps catch their attention and they see Izuna zip around a corner and skid to a stop next to Madara. He stares at Ilona and pouts when he sees the fully kitted horse and Ilona atop it. She raises her eyebrow at him questioningly. Izuna turns his face away, his ears slightly pink.

"You're leaving?" He mumbles.

"Yes." Ilona answers, slightly confused by the question.

_I'm on a horse with all my visible possessions- what did he think I was doing?_ She wonders silently.

Madara shoots Izuna a glance as well, raising his eyebrows then his eyes sparkle with mirth at whatever he discerned from Izuna. Izuna's ears change from pink to scarlet as he takes a deep breathe.

"Willyoucomebackandseeusagain?" Izuna rushes out.

Ilona blinks while Madara represses his laughter.

"… I am aware that Fire is not my first language, but I don't think those were words." Ilona finally replies.

Izuna flushes as he finally looks at her, his face hot with embarrassment.

"I said will you come back and see us again?!" He yells, mortified.

Ilona stills and surprise flickers across her expression before she smiles hesitantly at him.

"Izuna, you still have my jambiya right?" She asks, leaning on the pommel of her saddle.

Izuna nods, still a bit red in the face.

"Then hang onto it for me, ne? I'll come back for it, so we will have to meet again for that to happen." Ilona reasons.

Izuna brightens in understanding and nods, his expression going back to its normal smile. Ilona wavers for a moment then swings down and walks over to him. Ilona ruffles his hair, making him squawk with outrage as she sternly glares at him.

"Listen to your brother, don't allow your temper to get the best of you and keep training. Do not die." She orders him.

Izuna pouts at her as he tries to fix his ponytail. Ilona nods to Madara then remounts her horse, turning to leave. Over her shoulder, she calls back to the pair.

"Izuna, Sasha is my warrior name. Ask your brother for my other name. Stay alive." She tells them both before kicking her horse into a canter.

Izuna turns to Madara with a baffled expression.

"Warrior name? She has a second name- wait, why do you even know what her second name is?" Izuna demands, pouting at Madara.

Madara mentally sighs at the snarly mess Ilona had cunningly dumped into his lap- not that he hadn't intended to explain 'Sasha's' real identity to Izuna, but now Izuna is nearly frothing at the mouth with curiosity. Probably her form of payback for the genjutsu he had used on her. He silently leads the way to one of the more isolated training fields and stops, folding his arms to await for the barrage of questions.

"Aniki!" Izuna growls at him.

Madara huffs at him.

"I saw her going out on a walk in the middle of the night, so I followed her. Then I heard her speak in the same language the floating woman Ilona used. I interrogated her and she admitted to being Ilona."

Izuna stills in disbelief and then growing rage as his Sharingan activates.

"That-!" He hisses, fists clenched.

"But she was **adamant** that Sasha is also her name and she intends no harm against our clan." Madara continues before Izuna races off to hunt Ilona down.

Izuna glares at him, fresh with embarrassment and fury.

"Aniki! How can you trust her?!" He barks.

Madara narrows his eyes and flashes his Sharingan at Izuna.

"I searched her mind with the Sharingan, Izuna! She bares no ill-will towards us; if anything, she doesn't want to be involved in our feud with the Senju at all. What she **wants** is to be left alone!" He snaps.

Izuna pauses, going through his own memories. He compares the mysterious, powerful woman Ilona to the stoic yet accomplished fighter Sasha. Ilona had never attacked them, even when defending herself. Sasha had killed and maimed others to protect him, uncaring of her own injuries. Ilona had treated Hashirama and Madara like equals to herself. Sasha had trouble with basic manners and was sarcastic when he or someone else was being idiotic. Both had the same facial scars and same violet eyes, as well as the same disappointed stares for the shinobi she had encountered.

Izuna grimaces, unwilling to face defeat so easily.

"But why?! Why did you let her leave if she could fight alongside us against the Senju? They'll target her anyways for besting Tobirama!" Izuna argues.

Madara scowls darkly.

"Sasha was hell-bent on leaving and the only way we could have stopped her was with force or a genjutsu! And I would rather **not** find out her other abilities because she attacks our clan for trying to weaponize her!"

"Why isn't a genjutsu an option? She's not a kunoichi so it should be safe!" Izuna retorts.

Madara growls, shoving his bangs out of his face.

"She has a spirit that guards her mind; even if we did catch her in a genjutsu, the spirit would break it." He explains gruffly.

Izuna blinks at that tidbit and frowns, his Sharingan fading.

"What should we do?" He says at last, his anger fading.

Madara stares off into the distance and sighs slightly.

"Listen for news, rumors, and distract the Senju so they can only focus on us." He decides.

Izuna nods resolutely.

_Two weeks later…_

Ilona pats her horse's neck, soothing the animal as it drinks desperately from a stream and scans their surroundings again. After leaving the Uchiha's territory, she had immediately headed north-west and away from Hi no Kuni. And the Senju-Uchiha feud too, since Ilona has no illusions about how those two clans would react if they realized the full extent of her abilities. Even Madara didn't know, thanks to Metis, but that doesn't stop age-old instincts to avoid possible capture.

She pulls her horse away and remounts, heading towards something Gaia had detected that makes the djinn certain is one of the mirror shards. Ilona and Metis concede to her sensing capabilities since Gaia had accidently infused the mirror with her own aura. So Ilona continues into older and more rugged forests, letting Gaia lead the way. It takes another three days before Ilona notices strange impressions in the ground. She swings off her horse easily and crouches to examine the crater.

The shape of it nags her badly, like she should recognize it but the sheer size of it throws her off. Easily the size of two wagons side-by-side, it is mostly circular in shape with an odd indent that is sharply pointed almost like a thin wedge. Ilona frowns at it, cocking her head.

'This looks familiar but I can't remember what it reminds me of!' Ilona grumbles silently.

'_My king?'_ Metis inquires.

Ilona shakes her head and sighs as she moves back to her horse.

'Never mind. It'll occur to me later, knowing my luck.' She answers the djinn.

In the distance, unbeknownst to Ilona, a cautious but intrigued gaze is watching the traveling mercenary as she progresses further into the forest.

_Elsewhere…_

Tobirama can't believe that Hashirama has him doing an easy mission instead of fighting on the battlefield! Certainly the rarer herbs found in Taki no Kuni are better for blending medicines but still! He dearly wants to deck Hashirama for keeping him confined to first his room, then the Senju compound for a better part of a month. Hashirama had escaped his wrath by assigning him a vital but extremely easy mission (for Tobirama at least).

Grumbling, he casually scans the area around him for any possible threats and stiffens, red eyes widening. There is a presence- but it's muffled, almost swallowed by the chakra in the world around it. He pushes his senses harder, trying to get a lock on the elusive signature. It is wandering off deeper into the mountains, well away from civilization. Swiftly he makes a decision to scout the odd presence- Tobirama is many things, but indecisive is not one of them.

He shunshins higher into the mountains, tracking the presence. It takes him the better part on an hour to catch up and he hides carefully in a tree, frowning. A woman with long mahogany hair in a ponytail and dark clothes trimmed in crimson is brushing her horse, a sword hanging from her belt. Tobirama stretches his senses again and stills, stunned.

_She has no chakra?! How is that possible? Every living thing has chakra-!_ Tobirama thinks, his mind whirling.

"Come out."

Tobirama nearly falls out of his hiding place at the woman's calm command. Ruby eyes widen at the woman's back (still turned towards him) but he doesn't move just yet.

_It could have been a fluke._ Tobirama reminds himself.

There is a beat of silence then a soft sigh. The woman turns around and Tobirama stiffens because it's **her**. The mercenary that injured him, that stopped him from killing Izuna, is staring directly at him with a coolly exasperated expression. One hand is on her hip as she raises an imperious eyebrow.

… _Alright, not a fluke._ Tobirama admits to himself.

"Well? I don't have all day." She says dryly.

Tobirama weights the risks then moves into the open, frowning at her pensively. Her expression remains calm if exasperated as she gazes up at him.

"State your purpose, Senju." She challenges him.

Tobirama scowls.

"I will be asking the questions." He retorts, folding his arms.

She snorts derisively.

"Oh?" She drawls.

Tobirama feels a spark of anger at her clear dismissal of his authority.

"Where is the rest of your squad?" He demands.

"Squad?" She raises an eyebrow.

"Yes, the squad you are traveling with- there's no way you are alone." He reasons.

Her face doesn't change but Tobirama suddenly feels a surge of amusement and annoyance from the woman.

"You don't say." She says dryly.

Tobirama glares at her- she remains indifferent as she turns back to her horse. His hand clasps his sword and she stills, cocking her head.

"Answer my questions, _woman."_ Tobirama snaps, drawing his katana.

She glances at him and suddenly slaps her horse's ass, sending it racing deeper into the woods. Tobirama jolts involuntarily and she takes the opportunity to draw her sword, facing him with a level gaze. Her violet irises darken to a deeper purple, icy with disapproval as she stares him down.

"I think not. Especially for one as rude as yourself." She answers coolly.

Tobirama narrows his eyes and channels chakra freely into his body. She merely shifts her feet to better brace herself, staying calm. He body flickers, katana ready for a diagonal slash to cut her torso in two. Her blade whips up and meets his with a loud 'clang' as she expertly twists and redirects most of the power away from her. Tobirama lands lightly and surges in for another blow but she steps forward and forces him back. He grunts with effort, shoving at their locked blades but she suddenly frees her blade and cuts his upper arm.

Tobirama snarls and his hands fly through hand signs.

_Suiton: Water Bullets!_

Several balls of highly pressurized water shoot from his mouth, forcing the mercenary on the defensive. She weaves between them or deflects with her sword with a grim expression of concentration. Tobirama shunshins close, slicing at her legs. She leaps, tucking her legs over the blade and slashes at his shoulder. He barely blocks in time, grunting as he tosses her away from him. She lands gracefully and watches him with an unreadable expression.

Tobirama frowns as he thinks of what to do.

_If I can take her off guard then I can finish her- I should leave my Hirashin markings around the clearing to increase my chances while keeping her distracted with clones._ He decides.

His hands rise to form a hand sign but is interrupted by her abrupt charge, forcing him to block instead. Tobirama growls angrily as he pushes back against her, channeling chakra into his arms and legs in a bid to overpower her. Violet eyes narrow and she suddenly slams her knee into his crotch, smashing through his armor with a loud 'crack'. Tobirama's vision darkens as he tries to wheeze past the pain, noticing too late that she had disarmed him and forced him to his knees.

Anger sparks inside him as he glares up at her. The mercenary calmly meets his eyes, her sword pressed against his throat hard enough to draw a thin trickle of blood.

"I will say this once. I have completed my contract with the Uchiha clan and I am no longer working alongside them. Further attempts to attack or assassinate me **will** be met with deadly force. Do you understand?" She coolly demands.

Ruby eyes widen at her statement as he analyzes the possibilities of her lying to him. He grimaces when he senses her feelings of annoyance, exasperation and an icy resolve. She has no hesitation in following through on her threat.

_Dammit, she's serious… and I can't tell if she's lying or not._ Tobirama notes.

"Then why did you attack me?" He growls.

Her eyebrow shoots up and Tobirama can feel her disbelief and abject displeasure with him.

"I did not start the fight, Senju. **You** did." She reminds him coldly.

Tobirama frowns, reviewing the fight and nearly face palms when he remembers the first blow had been his. She nods firmly at his realization and strides off after her horse. Tobirama gapes at her blatant dismissal but quickly recovers and tags multiple points in the clearing with his fuinjutsu seal. When she doesn't come back after ten minutes Tobirama sets traps out of paranoia. Half an hour later Tobirama is bored and glances at her saddle bags.

_I wonder what I can learn about her from her belongings…_ He muses.

Cautiously, after checking for traps, Tobirama opens one saddle bag and examines the possessions inside. Mostly it contains spare clothes, all with the red trim on the edges, and several spools of razor wire. His eyebrow rises at the razor wire, all of varying strength and flexibility. He repacks the saddle bag and opens the other one. Rations, water canteens, a pair of longer double-edged blades, whet stones of varying hardness, oils for treating her blades, a pouch of tea, a set of chipped dishes and a teapot.

Tobirama frowns, annoyed at the lack of clues beyond the foreign make of her weapons and a minimalist personality. The rest of her supplies are fairly standard for Kuni no Hi. He repacks the saddle bag and makes certain everything was as the mercenary had left it. A while later he hears the muffled steps of a horse drawing nearer to the clearing. Tobirama gets to his feet, katana in hand as he warily watches her ride bareback towards him. She ignores him, to his irritation, checking her saddle and saddle bags with a critical eye as she tests the strap joints for weakness or sabotage.

Eventually she is satisfied and straps the saddle back onto her horse. Tobirama frowns as she remounts and makes to leave.

"Where are you going, mercenary?" He asks.

She glances at him.

"Elsewhere." She curtly replies before urging her horse back into the darkening forest.

Tobirama stares after her and unbidden a surge of curiosity grows within him. After dismantling his traps he follows her cautiously, keeping his distance.

…

Ilona is annoyed. The Senju (Ilona vaguely recalls his name might be something-rama) is following her where-ever she goes for the past **week**. He doesn't draw too close but Ilona can still sense his magoi hovering around her. Its grating on her nerves since Ilona deeply values her privacy and now she can't adhere to her new training regime to master Gaia's abilities. Both of her djinn are uneasy with the situation, frequently recommending that Ilona flee out of his reach (Gaia) or remove his awareness of her presence (Metis).

And the mirror shard has moved further away, as if it is actively avoiding her or her unwanted stalker. Eventually Ilona has enough and uses Gaia's ability over flora to grow certain plants that she knows will make a potent deterrent. It isn't even lethal- just extraordinarily painful. She calmly grinds up the fruits of her labor and carefully rigs a trap about where the Senju would hover. And then she waits.

Once she had settled for the night, Ilona senses Senju-kun's magoi near her trap as she had estimated he would be. Ilona waits to see if he will move on but he follows the pattern of staying in place. Sighing, Ilona tugs on a strand of wire as fine as spider silk, carefully dulled to minimize chances of it being seen. Moments later she senses a flare of panic, pain and rage in Senju-kun's magoi.

Leisurely Ilona walks to where she senses him and takes in the sight: Senju-kun is writhing on the ground, tears pouring down his swollen rosy face as he hisses garbled curses. Ilona props a hand on her hip, approving of her handiwork; dried peppers ground into a fine powder mixed with other spices meant to inflame and debilitate are very difficult to ignore. Especially when exposed to the target's eyes, nose and mouth.

"Good evening Senju-kun. Are you enjoying yourself?" She inquires.

He snarls at her, glaring at her through his runny eyes. Ilona moves her head to one side, dodging the kunai he threw at her. She sighs and settles on a stump as he futilely tries to ease the burning sensation.

"It will not kill you, Senju-kun." She remarks idly.

He throws another kunai at her. Ilona catches it deftly, examines it for poison or other surprises before setting it aside.

"That said, it will hurt for several days before wearing off. I suggest not rubbing your eyes- that will only make it worse." Ilona continues her explanation.

"Why-!" Senju-kun grits out.

"I dislike stalkers. I dislike those that pry into my affairs. _And I dislike those who judge before having all the facts and feel they have the right to constantly __**invade my privacy**__._ Consider this a warning, Senju-kun."

The shinobi curses foully but Ilona is unfazed.

"If you're trying to impress me with crude words, you're failing miserably." Ilona remarks.

"Bitch!" He hisses, trying to stand.

Ilona rolls her eyes.

"Why must you drag dogs into this? They are perfectly respectable animals." She sighs.

He glares at her, eyes even more red than normal as he sways upright. Ilona cocks her head and gives him a considering stare, weighing options in her mind.

"Promise to leave me alone and I will give you a remedy." She offers.

Tobirama scowls at her and stubbornly stays silent, unwilling to agree to such a bargain. Ilona shakes her head at his bullheadedness and walks towards her camp without a backwards glance.

"Very well. Try not to die then." Her voice reaches him as she disappears into the woods.

Tobirama grits his teeth, mentally running through what he knows of Ilona's surprise and possibilities of what to do.

_It is an inflammatory inducing powder, but unlikely to be a true poison from what she said. Strong reactions to sensitive tissues- eyes, nose, throat. Burning and itching sensation to said tissues. Will water flush it out?_

Tobirama debates it for all of three seconds before summoning water and dropping it on his head. He quickly regrets it as the burning sensation grows worse. Many garbled curses wheeze out of his throat and Tobirama knows that it will be a long night as he drags himself into the canopy to hide.

…

The next day dawns and Tobirama flinches, his eyes extremely sensitive to the sunlight streaming through the trees. His throat and nose are raw and sore as he breathes. He spreads his senses, paranoia making him scan the area for potential threats. A long ways off Tobirama can sense shinobi racing towards Kuni no Hi but no other close threats. Aside from the mercenary, that is.

His jaw clenches at the memory of how she had brought him low so easily and then callously offered to fix the damage if he left her alone. It was humiliating! He had sensed a vague sense of pity from her but no true repentance for disabling him. Tobirama grimly eats one of his rations, wincing at the pain in his throat as he swallows but persists. Failure to keep up his strength would end in death and that was unacceptable.

The day passes slowly and uneventfully until Tobirama senses the mercenary returning to his temporary camp. He glares at her and she silently observes him, purple eyes assessing him minutely. Tobirama feels exposed under her penetrating stare and readies himself for battle, knowing he will be at a disadvantage-! She quirks her eyebrow and leaves as suddenly as she came. The albino is nonplused by her behavior and is burning with questions.

…

Day two is more tolerable than day one, his eyes starting to finally not feel as itchy. His nose remains tender but his throat has improved after eating several meals. Tobirama spreads his senses and blinks in surprise; the mercenary had moved on, already a fair distance away. He staggers to his feet and makes to break camp when he remembers how she attacked him for following her.

_It's better to stay away from her._ Tobirama decides but wavers again, his need for information warring with his caution.

He eventually decides to compromise and creates a shadow clone to trail her- better to avoid any retaliation from her. His clone poofs into existence, nods and races off while Tobirama leans his head against the tree.

_Anija better appreciate this!_ He grumbles mentally as he resumes his scanning of his surroundings.

Tobirama stiffens when five shinobi signatures register too close for coincidence- the same signatures that he had sensed yesterday. Gritting his teeth, Tobirama gathers his supplies and hides all traces of his presence before racing deeper into the woods. A bare five minutes later he senses the group change course to chase after him. Mentally he swears and suppresses his chakra while speeding up.

His pursuers continue to chase him and Tobirama is grudgingly impressed by their tracking skills- not just anyone can follow him after all. Normally he wouldn't care since very few shinobi are skilled enough to match him combat-wise. But his newly re-inflamed throat and eyes remind him sharply that he is not in prime condition to fight. And that limits his options.

Red eyes narrow as he considers various battle plans until a stray thought pops into his head.

_He wants to see what the mercenary is capable of- and the shinobi chasing him are more likely to strike first and ask questions later. It's a perfect opportunity._

Tobirama changes course and darts towards the mercenary. It's time to see what she is truly capable of.

**And that is a wrap! Next time will be in the Present, which I will update in the next few days. Please feel free to comment and review! Stay safe out there!**


	10. Revelations (Present)

**Hey everybody! We made it to chapter 10! Whoot~! As always I do NOT own Naruto or Magi, but all my OCs are mine along with my plot twists~! We are back in the Present and shit is about to go down in BOTH universes mwa ha ha ha… Along with an OC I have been waiting to introduce~! So I'll keep this part short and sweet (the chapter is massive though). Please remember to review and comment!**

**Warnings: Violence, explosions (big satisfying ones :)), swearing, disillusionment, wtf moments and shenanigans!**

**Now, on with the show~!**

_The Present…_

Captain Yamato, also known as Tenzo, is not having the best day. First his interrogation of Kabuto was interrupted by Orochimaru, then Naruto manifested the Nine-tails chakra and went berserk. As if that wasn't enough, Sai proved to be an operative from ROOT who was planning on joining Orochimaru for the specific purpose of killing Sasuke Uchiha. Then, when they found said Uchiha, he proved hostile and attacked Yamato's team. If Samar had not stepped up, Naruto and possibly Sakura would be dead.

Of course, it was when Samar was actually gaining the upper hand that Team 7's infamous bad luck struck. One misstep on rubble and hardly a moment later she has a sword through her stomach. Yamato swears, his hands flying through the signs for a wood clone when a panicked roar breaks his concentration.

"**SAMAR!"** A young woman's voice howls and he spots her, near one of the tunnels.

She is, at first glance, wild to behold. Thick spiky mahogany hair spills down to the back of her knees over ill-fitting clothes with suspicious stains. A straight double-edged sword smeared with blood is in one hand, nearly forgotten as she takes in the scene. Her angular face twists in a snarl of pain and rage- _and her eyes change_.

Formerly black, they change to a glowing crimson- a _familiar_ crimson. Yamato sputters, wide-eyed.

"That's-!" He gasps.

Sakura shares his realization, watching the other female with open apprehension as she heals his shoulder. But that wasn't the worst of it. Under their horrified gazes, the stranger's Sharingan **mutates** and she starts to cry tears of blood. Scarlet suns replace the traditional Sharingan pattern and even Sasuke steps back from the oppressive Killer Intent filling the area.

"Mangekyo?! She manifested the MANGEKYO SHARINGAN?!" Yamato swears, mind racing.

Sakura and Sai send him sharp glances but Yamato has no chance to explain. The female Uchiha stares at Sasuke and speaks very evenly but clearly in the oppressive silence.

"You're dead."

Then she _moves._

One moment she is standing there- the next Sasuke smashes into a wall, coughing up blood. He barely has the chance to recover as his opponent nearly decapitates him, slicing a deep gash into the stone. Sasuke shunshins away- and Yamato shivers because he can tell she is _letting _him retreat. Her eyes spin idly as she taps her bloodied sword on her shoulder before she skips in place.

Once. Twice. Then she _vanishes_.

Sasuke tenses, eyes blazing red as he tries to follow her movements- Yamato can barely tell where she has been, not her current position. Stone shatters under the pressure of her speed and Sasuke jerks, blood spraying from a cut on his upper back. They hear his sword engage hers mere seconds later but she gives him no space to breathe. She reappears, a whirlwind of steel and wild hair as she tears through Sasuke's defenses like paper. Blood sprays from the cuts she inflicted on his arms and torso as Sasuke struggles to avoid death blows.

To his credit, Sasuke quickly concludes he needs to force her to long range and spits several fireballs her direction as he retreats. She smirks chillingly and dances between the flames, undeterred in her advance. Sasuke swears and black flame tattoos start to spread across his skin. The female Uchiha _chuckles_ darkly when she sees that.

"I don't think so!" She purrs menacingly, flashing right in front of his face.

Her left hand glows gold and she palm strikes his face, disorienting him badly. The black flames recede as she disrupts his transformation. He tries for a diagonal slash but she contemptuously leans away and whips the hilt of her sword across his face. Sasuke is thrown across the ground, spitting up blood as his opponent stalks after him. Sai taps Yamato's arm and points away from the quarreling Uchihas.

"Crone seems to be alive." He offers.

Yamato and Sakura's eyes snap to their second fallen teammate- Samar is moving weakly, trying to stand. Sakura's expression firms and she jumps from the top of the crater, shunshinning over to Samar.

"Samar-chan? I'm going to move you to safety, okay?" Sakura tells her, lifting the other kunoichi bridal style.

Samar hacks up blood and stares worriedly at Sakura.

"But-! _Cough, cough! _Xia-! Have to- _cough, cough!_ Stop her!" She wheezes, glancing at the feral Uchiha.

Sakura tenses in surprise.

"You know her?!" She whisper shouts.

Samar meets her eyes and violet changes to ruby red with three tomoes. She blinks and they fade back to purple.

"My-! _Cough, cough!_ Nee-san!" She gets out.

Sakura is flabbergasted.

_Samar is an UCHIHA?! WHAT THE HELL, SHANNARO?! Augh! Freak out later, Sakura!_ She admonishes herself.

Sakura leaps out the crater and lays Samar next to Yamato before starting to heal her stab wound. Samar wheezes with relief as the pain abates and her flesh starts to knit back together. Yamato stares alternatively at Samar worriedly or the battle raging below while Sai is mostly indifferent. Naruto is still out cold but unharmed next to Sai. Sakura bites her lower lip as she coaxes Samar's injured tissues to regenerate, trying desperately to ignore Sasuke's grunts of pain.

The moment Sakura finishes healing her, Samar sits up and scans the crater for her sister and Sasuke. She spots them mid-combat and grimaces, forcing herself to her feet and inhales deeply.

{"XIA-NEE! That's ENOUGH!"} She yells forcibly.

Team Kakashi blinks at the unusual language Samar uses while 'Xia' snaps her head up from where she has pinned Sasuke against a wall, about to slam her sword into his chest. Sasuke, for his part, is both relieved to see Samar alive and humiliated that he had been helpless (even temporarily) at Xia's hands. Xia is frozen, staring at Samar intently as if she expects her to disappear.

{"Samar?"} She whispers weakly, her eyes spinning wildly in the force of her emotions.

Samar nods.

{"Xia-nee, it's me. Please stop fighting, okay? I'm fine, just let him go."} She coaxes her sister gently.

Xia glances at Sasuke, anger showing in the lines of her body but only stabs his leg deeply with a stolen kunai before deliberately stepping away. Sakura and Yamato release twin sighs of relief as Xia walks away from Sasuke, letting him live for now. Xia shunshins right in front of Samar, her eyes still spinning in their Mangekyo pattern. Yamato, Sakura and Sai tense but Xia doesn't bother to look at them as she slowly reaches out and touches Samar's cheek tentatively.

When she feels Samar's skin, warm and thrumming with chakra and magoi, _alive, alive thank god_-! She drags her younger sister into a hug, heedless of the blood smearing their clothes.

"Fuck, Samar, I thought you were-!" She whispers in Fire.

"I know. But I'm not that easy to get rid of, aa? My teammate Sakura healed me good as new. I don't even feel sore, Xia-nee." Samar reassures her.

Xia laughs weakly, grasping Samar's shoulders and giving her a thorough once over.

"Fancy digs, imouto. Love the fans, I might have to steal one~" She teases Samar, her eyes changing back to their typical black.

Samar huffs at her playfully, shaking her head.

"Get your own, Xia-nee. Besides, you already have your sword, don't be greedy!"

Xia snorts, rolling her eyes and notices the rest of Team Kakashi, in various states of tension (except Sai, but it's Sai).

"You all with Konoha?" She asks them maneuvering herself subtly to herd her sister away from Sasuke.

Yamato recovers first and nods, wary as he eyes her.

"We are. Who are you and how do you know Samar?" He asks.

Xia quirks her eyebrows at him, amused despite herself.

"Xia Kouga, Samar's onee-san and unwilling 'guest' of Orochimaru, may-the-snake-bastard-rot-in-hell." She sums up neatly.

Yamato, Sakura and Sai exchange glances of surprise then Yamato looks at her again.

"What are your intentions, Xia-san?" He inquires carefully.

Xia reaches out and ruffles her sister's hair, much to Samar's dismay as Xia messes with her carefully pinned hair.

"Stay with Samar. Where she goes I go. Oh, and I have a shit ton of information on Orochimaru to sweeten the pot." She answers, chuckling when Samar half-heartedly swipes at her.

Yamato's mind buzzes with implications; while Sasuke may not be willing to return to Konoha, Xia and Samar are. Both are confirmed Uchihas with fully mature Sharingan, one even possessing the Mangekyo version. And Xia's claims of current information on Orochimaru are welcome, considering how secretive the bastard is. Yamato doesn't hesitate to nod in acceptance.

"Very well, Xia-san. Hokage-sama will be interested in meeting with you, considering everything." He agrees.

Xia grins broadly.

"Great! Now, we **really** need to get out of here considering I rigged the base to blow up in the next five minutes."

Stunned silence answers her until Samar sighs, face palming.

"Xia-nee… just **how** angry did Orochimaru make you?"

"Oh, absolutely **livid**. Don't worry about the other prisoners I already got them out and cleared out all his research I could find. Shall we?" Xia says cheerfully.

"Wait! What about Sasuke?!" Sakura points out.

Xia's friendly façade falls and she simmers with pent up fury.

"What. About. _Him?"_ She enunciates carefully.

Sakura gulps but brazens on.

"Our mission objective was to retrieve Sasuke and bring him back to Konoha. If we leave him here as matters stand, he could die!"

Xia's expression chills but as she opens her mouth to retort Samar cuts her sister off.

"Xia, she's right." She tells her calmly.

"Samar-!" Xia complains.

"Besides, I intend to have words with him myself, aa?" Samar says softly.

Xia pauses, tilting her head at the dark promise in Samar's tone then sighs loudly.

"Fine! But I fucking protest this course of action!" She growls, turning and leaping back into the crater.

Sasuke flinches when Xia stalks towards him, irises glowing blood red.

"Xia-!" He tries but Xia isn't having it.

"Shut. Up. Or. I. Will. Kill. You." She hisses, disarming him and smashing his left hand violently to break his fingers.

"Augh-?!" He yelps in pain, kicking viciously at her.

She just grabs his foot and swings him over her shoulder to slam into the ground, briefly stunning him. Then she flips him back into the air to land hard onto her shoulder, driving the air out of his lungs. Sasuke coughs upside down as she stalks back to Team Kakashi. She's about to jump out of the crater when a sinister chuckle catches her attention. A _familiar_ chuckle.

Orochimaru oozes out of the ground, a malevolent gleam in his golden eyes as he takes in the scene.

"Kuh kukuku… So you can speak Fire, _Xia-chan."_ Orochimaru croons, smiling widely.

Xia narrows her now dark eyes at him before smiling coldly and saying nothing. His expression turns contemplative when he realizes how battered Sasuke is, laying across one of her shoulders.

"You had to be so cruel to Sasuke-kun… He can't even perform jutsus now." He remarks, noting Sasuke's broken left hand.

Xia rolls her eyes.

"That's kinda the point. Anyways, I'm leaving. Bye." She tells him, leaping.

Orochimaru smirks and his tongue extends, wrapping around Xia and Sasuke. Her eyes flash and abruptly a shroud of fiery chakra coats both her and Sasuke, warding off the Snake Sannin's tongue. She lands safely at the top of the crater and drops Sasuke not too gently on the ground next to her. Orochimaru watches her avidly as she stays between him and Team Kakashi behind her, licking his lips. He smirks then activates her Curse Mark with a hand sign.

Nothing happens.

His smirk turns into a frown and he tries again. Again, nothing happens. Xia gives him a bored expression, resting her sword on her shoulder. Orochimaru narrows his eyes and _glares_ at her with the full intensity of his Killing Intent.

"**What did you do, **_**Xia-chan?"**_ He hisses.

Xia tilts her head, dark amusement showing in her eyes as his Killing Intent clashes harmlessly with hers.

"That's rather broad, Snake Bitch- you're going to have to be more specific." She goads him.

"Your Curse Mark- what did you do to it?!" His demands, inquisitiveness and anger warring within him.

Xia's mouth curls into the trademark Uchiha smirk.

"What Curse Mark?" She says sweetly.

Orochimaru freezes, a thought occurring to him.

_She couldn't have-! Did she _remove_ it?! She grows more interesting and infuriating by the moment… But first I need to retrieve Sasuke-kun... I cannot afford him running back to Konoha…_

Sasuke, regaining his ability to breathe, stills in surprise at Xia's coy answer but doesn't hesitate to swipe at her legs and vaults from the top of the crater. Xia merely steps over his attack and rolls her eyes as she attaches chakra threads to reel him back. Sasuke swears as he tries to break free but Xia knocks him out with firm application to a pressure point on his neck.

"Troublesome dumbass." She remarks, hoisting him back over her shoulder.

Behind her one of the chakra threads forms a single word in Fire: 'Run'. Orochimaru narrows his eyes and starts to weave hand signs but Xia calmly forms the ram hand seal.

"Boom." She tells him.

Then the base blows sky high in a roar of superheated flames. The ground above it ruptures, chunks as big as small buildings flying into the air. Other sections simply collapse inwards, burying everything under tons of earth and broken stone. Orochimaru disappears in the ensuing chaos but Samar and Xia can sense him racing towards Kabuto before he is buried alive.

Yamato, Sai, Samar and Sakura are already running, courtesy of Xia's warning and communicating details with hand signals. Samar is carrying Naruto piggy back, securing him with chakra and chakra threads to ensure she doesn't drop him. Xia brings up the rear with Sasuke, grinning cheerfully at the success of her explosive tags.

"Hahahahaha! That was so therapeutic!" She cackles as she matches Samar's pace.

"Xia-nee…" Samar sighs.

"What? The sun is shining, I'm outside for the first time in ages and I'm not in that psycho's company! Life is wonderful right now!" Xia points out.

"The mission isn't over yet. Keep your guards up!" Yamato orders from the front of their little formation.

"Hai!" Sai, Samar, Sakura and Xia answer with varying degrees of enthusiasm.

Sakura drops back to run next to Xia, curiosity and jealousy burning inside of her.

"Xia-san? What were you doing in Orochimaru's base? And why do you dislike Sasuke-kun so much?"

"Call me Xia, Pinky. Dislike is a _mild_ word for how I view Duckbutt but sure, let's use that. I **dislike** Duckbutt because he's the reason I was even in that base to begin with. He got me with a poisoned senbon then basically sat back and watched while Snake Bitch and Glasses had their fun cutting me open and doing other twisted experiments. Then I saw him **gutting** my baby sister, which earned him an eternal spot on my _shit list_. Got the picture yet?" Xia asks her brightly.

Sakura gulps and nods. Xia laughs at the fear on her face, breaking the tension.

"Sorry, didn't mean to scare you that bad. But yeah, some shit isn't what I can forgive easily, if ever. Just- just don't be a complete piece of scum that abandons others for your own gain, aa?" Xia explains quietly.

Sakura's eyes widen at the uncanny similarity between Xia's words and Kakashi's. She nods in assent and Xia gives her a real smile _and it's startling how similar it is to Sasuke's when he was younger-_ Sakura quickly breaks off that line of thought. Emerald eyes flicker from Xia to Sasuke then Naruto and she fervently prays that Team 7 can be reunited and **stay **that way.

_In Magi verse…_

Ilona is finishing her paperwork and double checking the numbers for their supplies when a familiar shout catches her attention.

"I'M BACK DATTENABE!" A boisterous voice bellows happily.

Ilona chuckles softly, standing and making her way to the top of the wall surrounding Taihōgakure to join Awola and Tae, Ayo'yo's older brother and younger sister respectively. The two Fanalis smirk down at their resident wanderer, finally come home once again. A young woman in her early to mid-twenties grins up at them, scarlet hair bound in a high ponytail falling to her hips and green eyes sparkling mischievously. Ilona shakes her head ruefully, happy to see her old ward again.

"Welcome home, Natsuko." She greets her warmly.

Awola laughs, waving for the gate to open.

"Nice to see you, squirt!" He teases his fellow redhead.

Tae merely smiles at Natsuko, bowing her head in greeting. Natsuko cackles, energetic even after her run from Carthago and rushes inside to hug them all. Ilona hugs the younger woman tightly, happy to see her safe and sound. Natsuko smile changes to a smirk when she spots more familiar faces.

"Izuna-nii! Ayo'yo-nee! I'm back, dattenabe!"

Izuna pauses and groans.

"And there went my peaceful- or what passes for a peaceful day. How are you, gaki?" He greets her, ruffling her thick red hair.

Natsuko pouts as she fixes her hair.

"It was fine! I went to Balbadd and a few other nations in the area- it's settled down since the rebellion, which is nice, dattenabe. How have you all been? Missing your favorite Uzumaki hopefully?" She prods teasingly.

Izuna snorts, folding his arms.

"Us? Miss a terror like you? I can live without the explosions of your failed seals." He teases right back.

Natsuko sticks her tongue out at him playfully.

"You know you did~! I keep your life interesting!" She sings, skipping away from him.

"She's back!"

"I told you-!"

"Get her!"

"Natsuko-nee!"

"Natsu-nee-san!"

"Nee-san!"

"Welcome home!"

Hotaru, Isi, Atsu, Yunru, Kobe, Renshu, Yue, Sango, Kamau and Mei race over to greet and tackle Natsuko, burying her under the weight of their bodies. Natsuko is cackling like a loon, hugging whoever is closest as Ayo'yo supervises with a soft huff of amusement. Ilona rolls her eyes at their antics while Izuna sniggers. Natsuko pauses and looks around curiously, ignoring how Atsu and Kobe are pulling at her hair.

"Ne, where are Keiichi, Xia and Samar? Don't they want to greet their onee-san?" She asks Ilona.

Ilona stiffens slightly but manages to keep her smile still on her face.

"It's actually good that you came back, Natsuko. They discovered something that requires further study." Ilona says lightly.

Natsuko frowns and opens her mouth to call Ilona out but Ayo'yo shakes her head. Izuna claps his hands and stares sternly at his children.

"Alright you lot, back to practice! You can badger Natsuko later about her journey. Mei, Sango, Renshu, Kamau, make sure your younger siblings actually get back to class, aa?"

"Hn." Renshu nods.

"Yes Father." Mei and Kamau murmur, helping Atsu and Yue to their feet.

"Of course!" Sango laughs as she helps Yunru and Hotaru up.

Isi and Kobe groan at the idea of more lessons but shut up fast when Renshu seizes the backs of their clothes to drag them away.

"See you later!" Most of the younger children yell as they are herded back to class.

Natsuko grins brightly, waving goodbye until they are out of sight. Then her face turns stern as she looks at Ilona, Izuna and Ayo'yo.

"So. What do you have to tell me?" She demands, folding her arms.

Ilona squashes a sigh and gestures for Natsuko to follow her, not ready emotionally for Natsuko's reaction. Natsuko is confused but follows after Ayo'yo nods to her. Izuna brings up the rear- mostly to make sure none of the children are sneaking after them. Ilona leads Natsuko into her room and disengages the seals she has placed over a certain chest. It opens with a click and she removes the mirror with its' missing shards. Natsuko pales when she sees it, memories of the mirror sucking them into a portal coming to the forefront of her mind.

Ilona lays it carefully on a low table and gestures for Natsuko to join her, which she does reluctantly. Her eyes widen when she sees three different scenes playing out on the mirror's fractured surface. One shows an imposing office with books lining the walls- not very interesting. The next is a blond woman a little older than Izuna and Ilona nearly buried in paperwork and sneaking a cup of sake. But it is the last that catches Natsuko's full attention; several shinobi running in a formation _and Samar is there carrying a blond shinobi with a Konoha hiate-ate._

Natsuko's chakra flares wildly in distress and Ayo'yo quickly hugs her, soothing her with her ever calm magoi. She shudders and points, trembling, at the damned mirror that tore them so far away from home.

"**How?! How are they there?!"** Natsuko screams at Ilona.

Ilona remains stoic, as always, but Natsuko can detect miniscule tightening of her jaw and knuckles as she remains silent. Well-hidden hints of Ilona's own inner turmoil over her children succeeding at returning to the Elemental Nations. Izuna speaks up, distracting Natsuko from Ilona.

"Keiichi, Samar and Xia stole the mirror and experimented with it. Keiichi sensed chakra from the gaps and they channeled chakra through Gaia's mirror and it reacted. We can only assume the missing mirror shards were all unsealed at the same time. It's the only thing that could have made it work after all this time."

Natsuko shudders, her mind starting to work possibilities and probabilities.

"Yes, but the odds-! They're astronomical, dattenabe! Just, how?! I don't-! We tried! We tried and tried and _tried_ and they were the ones that got reverse summoned?! What the hell dattenabe?! I-I don't understand-!" She cries, feeling like a helpless child.

Ayo'yo rubs her back soothingly, the way she used to before Natsuko grew up. Natsuko leans into it unashamedly, needing the comfort. Ilona finally speaks up, her voice breaking with repressed emotions.

"I don't know why now or why them. Was it coincidence? Was it fate? I cannot say but I know this- if Keiichi or the girls gets ahold of all three mirror shards, there is a good chance we can finally fix the damn mirror. I want to go back as much as you, if only to see my children, the Bakaramas, Mito and _my husband_…" She chokes up in a rare display of emotion.

Izuna nods in agreement, pain flaring in his eyes at the mention of those they had left behind. Natsuko sniffles and tries to smile.

"Sorry, Ilona-onēsan. I forgot it wasn't just me who got stranded here dattenabe…" She mumbles.

Ilona nods, accepting the apology. The quartet sits in comfortable silence then Natsuko suddenly grins.

"Ne… Does this mean I should try a time-space type seal like Tobi-oji's?" She asks slyly.

All three older adults respond in complete unison.

"**NO!"**

Natsuko pouts, sulking.

"Aw, why not?! I'm sure I can do it this time-!" She whines.

"No, no and no again!" Izuna snaps, his Sharingan activating in his anger.

"Last time you tried to create a space-warping seal, you nearly destroyed Carthago." Ilona reminds Natsuko.

"That's because I messed up! I can do it better this time dattenabe!" She protests loudly.

Ilona and Izuna deadpan. Natsuko turns to Ayo'yo with a silent plea for vindication. Ayo'yo's expression is impassive while she gives her two cents.

"… It's better to keep an eye on her than if we don't and she does it anyway without supervision." She tells the group.

Natsuko beams while Ilona sighs and Izuna groans.

"Ugh, Sage preserve us from Uzumaki enthusiasm." Izuna mumbles.

Ayo'yo consolingly pats his shoulder.

_Back with Team Kakashi…_

Sasuke forces himself to wakefulness, throbbing pain in his left hand assisting (even if it's annoying). The mumble of voices catches his attention and he makes himself pay attention.

"-ke?! Ah! Crazy lady with the scalpel! Where did you come from dattebayo?!" Naruto's yelps loudly.

"Naruto-kun, lower your voice." Samar scolds him gently.

"Yes dickless, listen to crone." The assassin, Sai, adds unhelpfully.

"Why you-!"

"Blondie, shut it. And get off Samar's back already, it's not like your legs are impaired." Xia orders.

Sasuke stops himself from jolting at how _close_ she sounds and abruptly realizes he is laying on someone's back. A suspicion starts to grow in his mind as he tries to recall where he heard the other voices; Naruto, Samar and Sai are too far away to be the one carrying him. Xia is a strong possibility, but it could equally be Sakura or that Yamato fellow.

"Everyone halt- Samar, can you sense anyone around?" Yamato asks from a distance in front of him.

Sasuke mentally groans when he realizes it has to be either Sakura or Xia carrying him.

"No one for now. Xia-nee, you might want to watch out. Sasuke is awake." Samar warns her sister.

Xia chuckles and _suddenly Sasuke is falling towards the ground face first-!_ A hand grabs the back of his shirt, stopping his fall.

"XIA!" Samar and Sakura snap at her and Sasuke finally pries his eyes open.

Samar had grabbed him, watching him with a guarded expression as she sighs in exasperation at the entire situation. Sasuke represses a flash of guilt, trying to forget how he stabbed her…

"Oi! What were you doing- uh, what's your name again?" Naruto asks, puzzled.

"Her name is Xia, dickless." Sai answers blandly.

A vein throbs in Naruto's forehead but before he can yell Sakura covers his mouth and glares at Sai.

"Knock it off, Sai!"

"Alright, hag." Sai agrees easily.

Sakura twitches, raising her fist threateningly and Xia laughs merrily as she grins toothily at Sai.

"_You_ I like. Sai, was it?" She demands, leaning against a tree.

Sai gives her an empty smile.

"Yes, witch."

Xia hums, a smirk growing on her face then she glances at her sister. Samar rolls her eyes as she lays Sasuke's numb body against a tree trunk.

"Xia, **no**." She sighs, shaking her head.

"Xia **yes!**" Xia cackles.

{"He's not a stray puppy you can take home!"} Samar lectures her sternly.

{"Awww, but he's so snarky and cute~!"} Xia mock pouts.

Samar glares her into submission.

"… What's going on?" Naruto whispers to Sakura, who shrugs.

"No idea- ah! Sasuke-kun, you're awake!" Sakura realizes.

Naruto perks up then blinks in confusion.

"Ah! Teme you're-! Wait, why're you here?" Naruto frowns, tilting his head.

Sasuke glares at him and tries to activate his Sharingan-! _Nothing happens_. Sasuke feels a flicker of panic and then realizes he can't feel his chakra **at all.** He glances up and Xia gives him a knowing smirk.

"Well, Sakura seemed very adamant that we take Duckbutt back to Konoha so I grabbed him and here we are~!" She explains cheerfully.

"What did you do to me?" He growls at Xia.

Xia cocks her head and her grin turns sinister.

"Me? I made sure you aren't a fucking **threat**. You know, since you've poisoned me, gutted Samar, stabbed Yamato, locked Blondie in a genjutsu and attacked basically everyone here. Doesn't help you have the emotional maturity of a five year old and all the warmth of an ice cube." Xia lists off her points on her fingers.

Sasuke clenches his jaw, his teeth grinding under the pressure. Naruto winces at the memory and Sakura looks away awkwardly while Sai and Samar remain composed. Yamato stays silent, knowing this is better off aired early rather than later on. Xia stretches and strolls over, staring down at him for a moment.

"I'll be blunt- you're a self-serving dick and frankly I have **no idea** why they still want you back despite everything. Honestly? You should behappy, even _joyful_, that Sakura healed Samar or I would have **killed** you. Luckily that **didn't** happen so you get to live another day~" She says, stepping away and going to over to Yamato.

Samar sighs tiredly and Sakura gives her a worried look.

"Samar, you alright?" Sakura asks.

Samar blinks and gives the other kunoichi a wan smile.

"I'll be alright, just tired and sore-" She starts to say but Sakura already is walking over and giving her a medical scan.

"Hmm, there's still some internal bruising in your lower torso. Eat a ration bar and drink lots of water while I fix this." Sakura orders briskly.

Samar nods, conceding this battle and starts munching on field rations. Sakura's hands glow green with medical chakra as she patches her up. It takes her less than a minute to finish, pulling her hands away with a satisfied smile.

"There! At least you won't have to carry Naruto anymore. Let me know if anything changes Samar!" Sakura sends a brief, uncomfortable glance at Sasuke and retreats to Naruto's side.

Naruto is arguing quietly with Sai about something and Sakura is threatening to punch both of them when Samar speaks to him.

"… Sasuke, why do you think bonds are worthless?" She asks, a quiet inquisitiveness coloring her voice.

Sasuke glances at her and huffs.

"They make you weak and drag you down- I don't need bonds or teammates, I'm fine on my own." Sasuke tells her, trying and failing to move his body.

Samar arches an eyebrow at him.

"That's ironic, considering…" She murmurs softly.

Sasuke frowns at her.

"What's ironic?" He demands, unhappy to be kept in the dark.

Samar hums, looking at Team Kakashi with a fond look in her eyes.

"Bonds are what make the Sharingan stronger and our emotional ties are an Uchiha's strength." She says simply.

"Absurd." Sasuke refutes angrily, glaring at her.

Samar merely smiles, not fazed by his anger in the least.

"Is it? The Sharingan manifests when someone we have a close bond to is hurt or in danger- sometimes it is the fear of death for your own sake that activates it, but in many cases it is the former."

Sasuke opens his mouth to argue- then pauses, his memories flashing back to Wave on the bridge. He scowls darkly as he remembers his urge to protect that worthless dobe and how he had felt relief that Naruto had survived Haku's attack… Samar nods knowingly at his frustration.

"That doesn't prove anything!" He denies hotly.

"Oh? Then how about a more recent example?" Samar offers calmly.

Sasuke eyes her warily before nodding sharply.

"The Mangekyo Sharingan appears when one of our kin experiences debilitating loss; a lover, friend, parent, siblings… Love turns into a consuming rage and our eyes change to reflect that. You saw this with Xia-nee."

"But-! She didn't kill you, I stabbed you-!" Sasuke argues, disbelieving.

Samar narrows her violet eyes at him.

"Loss is loss; it doesn't matter whose hand it is done by. The point is she **believed** I was dead and that is what triggered the transformation. What, did you think you had to do the deed yourself?"

Sasuke doesn't answer, looking away from her perceptive gaze. Samar's face hardens into an icy mask when she understands he **had** in fact believed that.

"Who told you your loved ones have to die at your own hands?" She asks very evenly.

Sasuke clenches his jaw, refusing to speak.

"Was it Itachi?" She says in the same reasonable tone.

Sasuke flinches minutely and Samar grows very still at the confirmation.

"… _**I see."**_ She murmurs.

Yamato catches everyone's attention with a hand signal to depart in three minutes. Xia rolls her eyes and makes her way back to Samar and Sasuke. She quirks her eyebrows at Samar's expression, glancing at Sasuke.

"Wow, you actually made Samar angry. That's an achievement." She remarks, hoisting him back onto her back.

"Let me go!" Sasuke snaps hatefully but Xia takes great joy ignoring him.

"I'm not-!" Samar tries to protest but Xia gives her a dry stare.

Samar huffs but concedes her point.

"Alright, fine, yes I am aggravated that someone would deliberately lie about how to manifest the Mangekyo in one of the most debilitating ways emotionally speaking. Especially since the method recommended would have driven him insane!" Samar grumbles unhappily.

"Really? Ballsy. Know who?" Xia prods, ignoring how Sasuke is hissing at her to put him down.

"Sasuke's older brother, Itachi. Also the one that allegedly wiped out the rest of the Uchiha clan." Samar tells her in an undertone.

Xia blinks, looks at Sasuke then groans in exasperation.

"And you _listened_ to a mass-murderer? What are you, stupid?" She berates him.

"Shut up! It's none of your business!" Sasuke spits spitefully.

"Uh, yes it is Duckbutt. Can't exactly deny the much begrudged family connection after my hissy fit. Especially in front of witnesses." Xia reminds him bluntly.

"But seriously, what were you thinking?! Kin slayers aren't exactly nice people that hand feed you a plan to defeat them, baka! Hell, he was probably lying with every word out of his mouth!"

Sasuke flushes uncomfortably. Samar levels a censoring look at her sister but Xia expertly ignores her.

"Come on, we need to get going. And holy shit I want a goddamn bath when we get to Konoha- or maybe the next water source, whichever is first!"

"Xia-nee…" Samar sighs, chasing after her sister as the group moves out.

"Ne, Sakura! Where do you think we can bath?" Xia demands, hopping next to the pink-haired kunoichi.

"Eh?!" Sakura squawks.

_She's so forward, shannaro!_

"Bathing, the thing with soap and water and other stuff to clean your body and hair-"

"I know what bathing is!"

"Great! So where's a good spot?"

"We're not bathing when trying to outrun a Sannin!" Sakura tries logical reasoning.

"Aw, but I'm filthy, right Duckbutt?" Xia complains.

"Leave me out of this-!" Sasuke grumbles.

"Oh, you still a blushing virgin Duckbutt? I would have thought your pimp of a master would have dealt with that by now."

"XIA!" Sasuke yells, incensed by her various jabs.

"What? It's nothing to be ashamed of- even if you like boys better~" She teases him mercilessly.

"I do not!" He denies.

"But your first kiss was with a boy~" Xia points out.

Naruto squeaks, stumbling before righting himself, red as a tomato. Xia notices and her grin turns truly evil as she locks onto her next target.

"Oh~? Have something to share, Blondie?" She purrs, leaping next to him.

Naruto starts sweating bullets and shakes his head.

"No, no, no, no, nononono! Nope!" He denies fervently.

"Your behavior suggests otherwise." Sai interjects smoothly.

"_Right?_ Look at you, Blondie, you're trembling~!" Xia sings, teasing him ruthlessly.

"Naruto-kun didn't actually kiss Sasuke, did he Sakura?" Samar mutters to her.

Sakura's face burns crimson.

"W-Well…" She stutters, glancing shyly at Sasuke then Naruto.

"Will you drop it?!" Sasuke snaps.

Xia glances at Sai and sniggers.

"That's a yes if I've ever heard one~! Nice to know you have a beautiful relationship, Duckbutt and Blondie~!"

"We're not-! I'm not gay, dattebayo! It was an accident!" Naruto protests.

"Dammit, dobe! Now she knows for sure!" Sasuke snarls.

Xia's grin is absolutely terrifying at the confirmation.

"Thank you boys~ I'll only tease you about this until it bores me~!" She promises happily.

"Is this an example of harassment?" Sai wonders aloud.

"Eh, more like teasing." Xia shrugs.

"Feels like harassment…" Naruto complains.

Yamato gives them all a dour glare, sobering them up.

"If you're all done..?" He demands.

"Hai…" They chorus (except Sasuke).

They all move as a unit with Samar at the front with Yamato, Naruto and Sai flanking with Sakura, Xia and Sasuke bringing up the rear. Abruptly Samar flashes hand signals for 'enemy behind', frowning in concentration. Xia spreads her own senses and grumbles mentally about being out of range. Naruto glances around worriedly and Sakura tenses, her gloves creaking softly while Sai is passively alert.

Yamato frowns, wishing that for once they would have some good luck instead of a steady track record of messed up missions. Samar focuses grimly and signs again.

"_Enemy 3 clicks behind. Pursuing. Orochimaru. Moving fast."_

Yamato nods grimly in acknowledgment.

"Diversionary tactics. Naruto, make shadow clones and have them transform into us. Clones go towards Konoha further east while we continue west. Xia, Samar, are you sure about those seals of yours?"

Sasuke blinks at this new bit of information.

_Seals? What seals?_ He wonders silently.

"Duckbutt can't utilize his chakra and Samar shut down his nervous system with Sakura's help, but I'm more worried about if Snake Bitch can track him with the Curse Mark. Best I could do was separate the two types of chakra and then suppress Snake Bitch's into a dormant state. At the very least it should be more difficult to pinpoint him. Oh, and Blondie should make another clone to carry Duckbutt so I can assist as needed." Xia answers frankly.

Yamato nods while Naruto creates their doppelgangers, who take off perpendicular to their path while the last one accepts Sasuke with a scowl. Xia maneuvers closer to Sakura and bumps her gently with her shoulder. Sakura gives her a questioning look then her expression steels with understanding. She glances at Sasuke, stops herself from flinching when he glares at her and reaches out to tap his forehead- only for an explosion of smoke to replace Sasuke and the Naruto clone carrying him.

Xia hisses in annoyance, recognizing the signs.

"Shit! He was reverse summoned!" She explains to those who weren't paying attention.

Yamato frowns then sighs.

"We're returning to Konoha as fast as we can then- Samar, layer a genjutsu to mess with any pursuers' sensory skills."

"Hai!" Samar acknowledges, hands blurring through hand signs to muffle their chakra signatures.

"Wait! What about Sasuke?!" Naruto argues, blue eyes flashing.

Yamato gives him a stern look.

"Naruto, so long as he has a summoning contract shared by Orochimaru, he can be reversed summoned at _any time_. We're fortunate it was only your clone carrying him and not one of the team."

Naruto opens his mouth to yell but Xia interrupts.

"Duckbutt is an idiot with tunnel vision, Blondie. Feel free to yell at him with your clone, but ultimately he has to **want** to come back and he's not there. Yet. He's vulnerable to guilt-tripping though." She adds as an afterthought.

Sai nods appreciatively at this new information while Sakura and Naruto stare at Xia like she's crazy.

"Captain Yamato, it's done." Samar reports.

Yamato nods and glares at all of them.

"Let's go- we have a lot to report." He orders.

Team Kakashi moves out silently, slightly gloomy over how the day had gone.

_In Magi verse…_

Natsuko is many things, but unpredictable, stubborn and impulsive are at the top of the list. So when Ilona gets word that Sinbad (the manipulative bastard) was sending four _kids_ to conquer **Zagan,** a Dungeon **known** as a man-eater, Natsuko is incensed. So she immediately grabs her scrolls, favorite ink brushes and her bisento and charges out of Taihōgakure before Ilona can stop her. Once she reaches Carthago she henges to hide her red hair and continues running until she reaches her small boat.

Simply named _Whirlpool_, the small sail boat has hundreds of seals to reinforce and protect it from the elements and thieves. It also has seals to decrease its friction with the sea and its weight, seals for storage, defensive seals that can hid it or stop attacks or from being crushed by larger vessels. Other seals create wind for the sails or release kinetic energy built up over time to rocket _Whirlpool_ forward in bursts of speed. She unties from the dock, about to leave when Izuna casually joins her, also under henge.

Natsuko scowls, though she shouldn't be surprised that he had caught up to her. Huffing she coils the ropes out of the way and mans the rudder, eyeing him all the while.

"What're you here for, Izuna-nii?" She cuts to the point, steering them around other boats.

Izuna hums and rests against the railing, out of the way of the boom when the sail swings to catch the sea breeze.

"Ilona knew you wouldn't stop soooooo, since you are already on your way out to sea, I figured I could hitch a ride half way to my destination."

"Oh? Where're you going, dattenabe?" Natsuko asks, already calculating various destinations Ilona could have requested.

"Sindria." He answers easily.

Natsuko's eyebrow shoots up and she grins.

"Oooooooooh, have fun winding up the Pervert King~!" She sings merrily.

Izuna chuckles, his dark eyes glinting with mischief.

"Aa, I intend to." He assures her.

_Two days later…_

Izuna starts water-walking when Natsuko sails him close enough to Sindria, enjoying the smell of salt water and using his shinobi skills. He idly considers kidnapping Sinbad, stealing his Metal Vessels and dumping him on a deserted island but Ilona had vetoed that idea. Still… It would be fun to see how hard it is to infiltrate Sindria…

Izuna smirks and starts to run, rapidly approaching Sindria in the distance. Just before the sensing barrier Sinbad's magicians established, Izuna stops and applies various seals Natsuko had supplied him with. The Uzumaki had found magician shields and the like to be a very intriguing challenge to defeat- one she had surmounted. She even made it a point to clear out the gambling parlors in Sindria every time she visits before vanishing without a trace, much to Sinbad's aggravation.

Heck, she didn't even _cheat_ when playing (though it would be easy for a kunoichi) - unless you consider Uzumaki luck a cheat. But Izuna is all too happy to take advantage of Natsuko's fuinjutsu skills to avoid the magicians from detecting him too early. Soon enough he activates a seal that allows him to breathe underwater and swims into Sindria. Discretely he exits the water at the docks and dries his clothes with another seal before making his way casually into Sinbad's palace.

Opulent is one word to describe it. Izuna prefers 'idiotic' since it has few true security measures in place- Sinbad relies on his reputation and that of his generals' too much. Well, after today's 'talk' that may change, considering.

Izuna quickly locks on Sinbad's magoi signature and silently slips into his office, where Sinbad is nearly buried under paperwork. Ja'far is also there, but Sinbad's changed appearance has Izuna's attention. He activates his Sharingan to memorize it, noting the differences in his magoi before turning them off. Then he announces himself.

"Maa Sinbad-kun, back to bad habits?" Izuna drawls.

Ja'far instantly throws his knives at him, the wires wrapping around his body. Izuna snorts and easily evades, shunshinning inside Ja'far's guard before he can blink. Izuna slams his fist into Ja'far's diaphragm, knocking the wind out of him then punches his face to stun him. Izuna ties him up with his own wires while Ja'far tries to activate his Household Vessel but Izuna manipulates his magoi, stopping him expertly. Izuna shakes his head, tutting softly.

"Ja'far-kun, you've gone soft. Stay put before I actually hurt you." He reprimands the younger man.

"You! You better not hurt Sinbad!" Ja'far snarls in a rare state of rage.

Izuna tilts his head, observing the cursed ruler.

"That depends on Sinbad-kun of course." Izuna tells them dryly.

"Why are you here, Izuna-san?" Sinbad asks, gold eyes hard.

Izuna quirks his eyebrows at him.

"I would have thought that was obvious, Sinbad-kun." He says playfully.

Sinbad's eyes flash and he goes to draw a weapon-! Izuna is suddenly there, a kunai at his throat and lets the unspoken threat stand. Sinbad grimaces but holds his hands up in surrender. Izuna smiles at him and removes the kunai from his throat.

"Relax, Sinbad-kun… My king may despise you but she's not completely heartless. Unlike you." Izuna's smile turns icy and his eyes glint darkly.

Sinbad gulps, remembering how dangerous Izuna can be when he's in this mood. His mind whirls through possible reasons that Ilona had sent her most loyal household member to speak with him.

_It had to be recent, but what could have..? Wait-!_ Sinbad pales, hoping he is wrong.

"Are you referring to Alibaba-kun and the others going to Zagan?" He asks, sweat trickling down his spine.

Izuna's smile widens and Sinbad blanches.

"Very _good_ Sinbad-kun. I believe my king has made her opinion on your tendency of using **children** as pawns quiet clear?" He purrs.

"This is a misunderstanding-" Sinbad tries to bluff but Izuna shakes his head mournfully.

"Oh Sinbad-kun, you need to work on your lying. I know you sent them to acquire Zagan to 'cure' you but we **both** know you don't need Zagan to deal with a pesky curse like this. It's a ploy to earn another djinn through an easily impressed King's Candidate, since you are no longer allowed within the Dungeons." Izuna casually analyzes.

Ja'far and Sinbad stiffen, having forgotten Izuna's keen perception and intelligence. Izuna chuckles at their expressions.

"You thought you were being discrete? I'm afraid not- you're rather easy to read." Izuna admonishes him.

"What is your message from Ilona-sama?" Ja'far asks in a carefully respectful tone.

Izuna's smile returns. It does not reassure Sinbad or Ja'far.

"My king wishes me to inform you that you are on your last warning, Sinbad. Let the younger generation choose their own paths without 'help' from you. Perhaps try being honest with them if you still wish to recruit them outright, although I cannot picture a manipulator such as yourself managing such a task."

"And if I do not?" Sinbad asks, his expression calculating.

Izuna allows his Killer Intent to slam into both Ja'far and Sinbad, forcing both men to freeze against their will.

"She will break you beyond recognition, killer of innocents, and make you beg for death." He states calmly then erases his Killing Intent.

Sinbad wheezes as his muscles unlock and Ja'far trembles from the stress. Izuna smiles warmly at them.

"My king also wished me to inform you that Al-Thamen is on the move. They should arrive here in a day or so. She sent me to assist however I please." He says cheerily and saunters out of Sinbad's office.

Sinbad sits down, stunned by the information Izuna had dumped on him. Ja'far, after struggling free, carefully voices his opinion.

"I don't trust him, Sin."

Sinbad glances at him, expression pensive.

"Neither do I, but he is loyal to Ilona beyond all doubt. And if there is one thing we **do** agree on, it's Al-Thamen. Aside from us and the other Generals, Ilona and her people are the only ones who are equally aware of how dangerous Al-Thamen is. And as much as I hate to say it, they are better prepared for such an adversary. Not once has Al-Thamen successfully attacked them since that first time…"

"If she is aware of Al-Thamen, why will she not ally with us? She's one of the most powerful King's Candidates in the entire world, together you could end them!" Ja'far argues.

Sinbad huffs, drinking a cup of wine.

"She has strong reasons to not trust me, enough so that she will not put her people at risk with allying with Sindria. Ilona saw me at my worst… she knows how easily I broke and what I did after that. She never forgave me for Reim."

Ja'far flinches, looking away. They remain in silence for a moment longer before Sinbad sighs.

"Call the other Generals here- I don't want Izuna-san crippling them by accident because they don't know he is in Sindria."

…

Izuna strolls through Sinbad's palace to the gardens and quirks his eyebrow at the pretty red-head sitting amongst the flowers.

_Clothing is excellent quality, expensive jewelry and the style is from Kou… Oh? A djinn? Well, well…_ He thinks wryly, knowing from basic deduction this must be Kougyoku-hime.

She glances up and frowns at him. Izuna gives her a charming smile and keeps walking, despite the opportunity to earn some information… A servant rushes up to him and bows awkwardly.

"Izuna-sama?" He asks tentatively.

"Hn." Izuna affirms.

"A-Ah, King Sinbad has requested your presence sir." The servant stammers, unnerved by Izuna's aloof manners.

Izuna bites back a grin and nods regally.

"Lead the way." He says coolly.

The servant all but leaps to obey, guiding him through various hallways before knocking on a pair of double doors.

"Enter!" Sinbad orders and the doors swing open.

Izuna saunters in with the arrogance that only the Uchiha can pull off, dark eyes watching everyone and everything. He recognizes the Eight Generals and Sinbad, who share expressions of shock or wariness at his appearance save Ja'far and Sinbad. Izuna goes to the open chair and sits after discretely checking it for traps or poisons. Satisfied, he inclines his head in greeting to the members of Sinbad's inner circle.

They all nod back, though Masrur, Hinahoho and Sharrkan are more genuine in greeting him. Sinbad steeples his fingers and puts on a serious expression.

"Everyone, I can see you remember Izuna Uchiha, Ilona-sama's Household Vassal and right hand man. He has come to warn us about Al-Thamen at his king's behest." He explains.

"Among other things." Izuna adds smoothly.

The Generals glance at each other, silently conveying their thoughts to one another. It is Drakon who speaks next.

"Izuna-san, your arrival was unexpected. Is the news you carry that important?" He asks carefully.

Izuna quirks his eyebrows.

"I suppose that depends on your definition of 'important'. _My_ king's definition is 'a critical threat to your kingdom's continued existence'."

His audience winces or frowns at his words. Sinbad leans forward, expression serious.

"What can you tell us about the threat?" He asks Izuna.

Izuna calls up the image in his mind, captured with the Sharingan, before speaking.

"Three magician types from Al-Thamen and their pet magi, Judar. They were condensing Black Rukh in the ocean and transforming it, which is how they drew my king's notice to begin with. Judar was flying ahead while the other three worked, so he will arrive first. The others will be next, most likely to weaken or kill your Generals and soldiers."

The Sindrians murmur, disturbed by the news. Izuna remains relaxed; of the threats, Judar would be the most bothersome but he is still human. Besides, having seen the magi fight before helps immensely in planning for how to defeat him. It doesn't hurt very little can match Izuna for battle prowess in this world, even when he is deliberately holding back on using chakra. Sinbad meets his gaze again, projecting an air of sincerity and seriousness.

Izuna raises his eyebrow questioningly.

"Did Ilona-sama give you any orders we should be aware of?" Sinbad tries to interrogate him.

Mentally Izuna scoffs at him (why would he tell them **that?!**) but outwardly does not betray his dislike for the other king.

"She stated to assist as I see fit, as I already told you." Izuna reminds him dryly.

The Generals, mostly the original members, glance at each other as they clearly remember the last time they had seen the shinobi in combat. Izuna ignores their looks and stands to leave.

"Izuna-san! Where are you going?" Drakon asks him.

Izuna glances at the man-turned-dragon and gives an amused smirk.

"To rest for tomorrow. I'll adapt as needed and act as needed. Good night." He says, exiting before they could stop him.

Behind him he can hear Ja'far having a hissy fit over his manners while the other Generals try to calm the former assassin down. Izuna chuckles to himself and enters Sindria's civilian area, casting a henge in an alleyway and creating a shadow clone of himself. The clone he sends to the opposite side of the city to stay at an inn while he rests up undisturbed. He rigs the room with traps and seals Natsuko gave him before giving in to his body's need for sleep.

_Meanwhile…_

Natsuko glares up at Zagan's Dungeon and touches it; the teleportation magic does its job and she is transported inside a grove of odd trees. She huffs and starts walking, pulling out an inkbrush with one hand and readying her bisento for trouble in the other. The ground shakes and abruptly a djinn like creature sprouts out of the ground, glaring at her. Natsuko has to fight back at laugh at how silly his mask looks.

"Another human? Do you want to be part of my grove so badly?" He sneers, folding his arms.

"As if, dattenabe!" She shoots back, green eyes sparking dangerously.

He blinks at her speech quirk but smirks annoyingly.

"Is that so? Then you best run fast or my precious Dungeon will gobble you up!" Zagan (she presumes) tells her.

Natsuko snorts and seals away her bisento to Zagan's surprise.

"You're not nearly as scary as Nyx or Indra, but I suppose you could surprise me, **Zagan**. You better have an army~!" She tells him, walking right up to him.

He leans back involuntarily as she flashes a challenging grin at him.

"Because you cannot stop me without one, dattenabe." She finishes seriously before winking and exploding into a cloud of smoke and magenta paint.

The real Natsuko laughs as she shunshins through the various corridors as Zagan bellows angrily behind her for being tricked. Despite the traps and tricks Zagan throws at her, she swiftly reaches the massive double doors that protect the heart of the Dungeon. The doors are already open and Natsuko can sense six people beyond it with a puppet creature in the midst of combat.

The four kids she had been told about are there; Alibaba, Aladdin, Morgiana, and Hakuryuu. The others are a mint-haired girl using a Dark Djinn equip, Ithnan of Al-Thamen and a pale man in dark armor. Natsuko quickly figures out the swordsman is actually a puppet controlled by 'Minty'. She sighs, unsealing her favorite tonfas and then explodes into motion. One moment, Alibaba is trying to fend off Isaac's superior swordsmanship; the next a woman with blood red hair and sea green clothing is forcing Isaac back.

The knight's eyes widen in surprise as she expertly traps his sword with both tonfas and lashes out with a vicious kick to his chin. Her foot plows through his skull, breaking apart the magnetized dust and with a war cry she ax kicks his body in two, crushing the ground beneath Isaac. The other combatants freeze at the ease she had taken down the warrior as she tosses her hair over her shoulder.

Minty is frozen, a smile plastered on her face but slowly cracking as she stares at the remains of her puppet friend.

"Isaac? What's wrong? You have to get up Isaac, you're supposed to protect me-!" She orders the pile of metallic dust.

Ithnan swears when he recognizes her.

"You-! You dare interfere in our Father's plans again?!" He yells, pointing at Natsuko.

Natsuko snorts derisively.

"Duh, dattenabe!" She scoffs at him.

"Alibaba-kun, are you alright?" Aladdin asks, checking on the other boy.

"Y-Yeah. But who the heck is that?!" Alibaba stammers, pointing at her.

"An Irregularity- an interloper! She doesn't belong here!" Ithnan declares, pointing at Natsuko.

She yawns, bored.

"Yeah, yeah, you would think you would get new material by now, dattenabe! Same old rant every time I run into you manipulative weirdos! Now, am I gonna have to beat you half to death or not, Ithnan-chan?"

"Curse you, Natsuko Uzumaki!" Ithnan snarls, pointing his wand at her.

Natsuko's grin turns blood-thirsty and her long red hair stirs, writhing behind her ominously.

"You can try bastard!" She yells, shunshinning close.

Ithnan barely blocks in time with his borg but Natsuko hits it so hard he bounces against the wall. Hakuryuu, Aladdin and Alibaba gape at her (Morgiana is still unconscious), slightly terrified by the redhead. Natsuko refuses to let up, smashing her tonfas repeatedly into the same spot over and over again. Cracks start to spread across the surface until it unexpectedly shatters. Ithnan falters in horror and Natsuko takes full advantage of his distraction.

With a roar she upper cuts him with her tonfa handle, leaps and unleashes a combo targeting his spine, stomach and face. Ithnan collapses awkwardly on the floor, trying to shield himself with his wand. She doesn't stop until he is out cold. Natsuko narrows her eyes and with a flash summons her ink brush (with an inbuilt seal to supply ink when it touches a surface). She draws a seal around him as he moans and with a surge of chakra activates it.

She nods in satisfaction, reseals the ink brush and picks up her tonfas.

"**Look out!"** Hakuryuu yells.

Natsuko swears and barely dodges the sword cutting toward her head. With a growl she turns and sees the puppet back on his feet. Emerald eyes narrow in vexation and she yells at him in sheer annoyance.

"What the hell, dattenabe?! I already crushed you, stupid puppet!"

Isaac doesn't answer, favoring to attack again. Natsuko blocks and retaliates with interest, hooking one tonfa behind his knee, yanking him off balance. Isaac tumbles back and Natsuko wastes no time beating him back into dust. To her growing aggravation, he starts to reform.

["Oh, for fucking Solomon's sake! Stay **down!**"] She bellows in Fire, destroying Isaac again then quickly seals the dust into a sealing scroll with a scowl.

Dunya gasps in rage, glaring hatefully at Natsuko.

"How dare you-! How dare you do that to Isaac!?" She hisses, tightening her grip on her weapon.

Natsuko glances at her and points an inkbrush at her.

"Look, I don't know you but trying to murder kids?! That's messed up, Minty!" She snaps, green eyes flashing dangerously.

"Shut up! I need the djinn! I need strength to destroy fate!" She screams, charging the kunoichi.

Natsuko shakes her head regretfully, resealing her tonfas and summons her bisento.

"Fate? Yeesh, you guys are so stubborn about stuff like that, dattenabe! Fate isn't set in stone, dummy! It can change in an instant! You're the ones letting ideas of it being _inevitable_ get all screwy with your heads!" Natsuko retorts, dancing expertly around Dunya's less experienced attacks.

"Be silent! What do you know?!" Dunya screeches, attacking wildly.

"Plenty, dattenabe! Like Al-Thamen offers false power! And the world is messed up _but it can be better if we try!_" Natsuko growls, slamming her forehead into Dunya's.

The former princess staggers back, clutching her head and her eyes gleam with fanatical anger.

"Better? _Better?!_ Ha! Under Al-Thamen it will be! Not that you will live to see it!" She hisses, preparing her Extreme Magic.

Natsuko rolls her eyes in exasperation.

"Oi, brats! Yes, you four! Move your asses over here!" She snaps, replacing her bisento with a giant paintbrush nearly her height in length.

Her brush whirls, creating a massive protective seal as Alibaba, Aladdin, Hakuryuu race over carrying Morgiana. With a final flick Natsuko nods in satisfaction and activates the seal once all of them are inside.

"Nee-san, what is this?" Aladdin asks, staring at the seal.

Natsuko waves off his question.

"Not right now, chibi."

"But-! How is a fancy design on the ground supposed to protect us from Dunya's magic?!" Alibaba babbles.

"Alibaba-gaki! Shut it! You'll see soon enough! Just stay inside the circle!" Natsuko snaps, narrowing her eyes.

Dunya raises her spear and activates her Extreme Magic with a satisfied grin.

"**Rea Bard!"** She intones and thousands of dark swords fall from the sky.

Natsuko doesn't flinch as her seal flares against the assault, warding off the rain of death. Alibaba and Hakuryuu have more trouble keeping their composure as the swords stop a bare foot about their heads before being deflected. Aladdin studies the seal, wondering why it feels so strange and why Natsuko also feels different from everyone else. His musings are interrupted when the Extreme Magic ends at last, Dunya falling to stagger on the ground from using her Extreme Magic twice in the battle.

The princess glares as her Dark Djinn equip falls away, rage and disbelief twisting her face.

"You-! How!? How are you still alive?!" She wails.

Natsuko steps outside the seal and walks steadily over to her.

"Because a whirlpool does not slow nor change for anyone. And you need to calm down, Minty-chan." She admonishes her, hand on her hip while still holding her massive paintbrush.

Dunya bites her lip angrily and with a snarl tries to stab Natsuko with her Dark Vessel; Natsuko bonks her on the head with her paintbrush.

"Too slow! Points for effort though, dattenabe~!" Natsuko grins unapologetically.

Dunya gapes at her, ink running down her face and a spark of despair grows within her.

_I can't-! I can't beat her! Is this… is this my fate?! To always lose?! No, I don't want to-! I don't want a fate like that! I curse you… I CURSE YOU, FATE!_

Black Rukh swarms around her and Natsuko swears as Dunya starts to fall into depravity.

"Shit! Not this again! What is it with you people and being so negative, dattenabe?!" Natsuko complains, leaping back.

Dunya doesn't hear her, mumbling to herself as the black Rukh starts to swallow her. Aladdin runs forward, Alibaba following him closely and the little magi focuses his magic.

"Wisdom of Solomon!" He yells, the eight-pointed star glowing on his forehead.

Natsuko perks up and grins.

"Oh~! So you're the magi I've been hearing whispers of! Yosh, yosh, I'll leave this to you then while I check on the other two dattenabe!" She says cheerily.

"Eh?! You're not going to help?!" Alibaba yelps, sweating at her lackadaisical attitude.

Natsuko blinks at him, tilting her head.

"Hmm? But you've got it handled, dattenabe! I'm sure you'll be fine~!" She cheers him on with a broad grin.

Alibaba sweat drops, as does Hakuryuu.

_She's really nonchalant about this…_ They both think in tandem.

Natsuko bustles over to Hakuryuu and Morgiana, frowning as she examines them.

"Oh boy, you two got messed up! Seriously… Well, Blackie, you're lucky Zagan seems to like you otherwise you would be in a crummy state. But no strenuous activity! And let's see here- oh! She looks like Isi! Who would have thought, dattenabe! Ah ah, magoi exhaustion? Did no one tell her to watch her magoi output? Troublesome… Well, I'll give her some and that should tide her over until she can replenish her own reserves." Natsuko decides, her hand glowing gold as she transfers her magoi into the Fanalis girl.

"Who are you, if I may ask?" Hakuryuu questions her cautiously.

Natsuko cocks her head at him then beams a warm smile.

"I am the awesome Natsuko Uzumaki, Wanderer of the Seven Seas, Queen of Gamblers and Dungeon Capturer! Nice to meet you, dattenabe~!" She declares confidently.

Hakuryuu's jaw drops in shock.

_A Dungeon Capturer! Her?! But why hasn't Kou heard of her?! Who is she affiliated with?_ He thinks when an abrupt change in the atmosphere catches their attention.

Alibaba has started to fall into depravity, much to their horror as he holds Dunya's unconscious form. Ithnan, awake but contained in Natsuko's seal, laughs gleefully at this development.

"Yes! Fall, fall into depravity for our Father's will!" Ithnan sneers.

The Black Rukh whirls around him and transforms Alibaba into a Dark Djinn equip. He stands, dropping Dunya carelessly on the stone ground. Aladdin's grip tightens on his wand as he stares at his best friend.

"Alibaba-kun!" He calls out, hoping that Alibaba will snap out of it.

Alibaba lifts his head and mumbles under his breath before attacking Aladdin, who barely blocks with his borg. Aladdin tries to use his Wisdom of Solomon to snap Alibaba out of it, but it fails to his shock. Natsuko tuts, standing and summons her bisento as she walks outside her protective seal before giving a warning.

"Alibaba-gaki! Knock it off or I _will_ make you!" Natsuko states coldly.

He turns towards her and attacks without hesitation. Her mouth curls into a competitive smirk as she easily deflects his attack, engaging in a whirlwind of blocks and counters. Alibaba frowns as she starts to press him back, forcing him to lose ground. Natsuko doesn't stop pressing her advantage, bowling over Alibaba's attempts to defend himself. She fights using the Uzumaki style, unpredictable and relentless while always in motion. Ithnan is stunned by the ease she is outmatching Alibaba's Dark Djinn equip.

"Why-? Why do you continue to fight?! You can't save that boy! He's already Fallen! He belongs to our Father!" Ithnan tries to dissuade her.

"Oh shut it! I'll save this dummy with chibi-magi and give your precious Father a kick in the teeth! So stop trying to tell me to give up!" She snaps, kicking Alibaba violently back.

Aladdin, Hakuryuu and a groggy Morgiana stare at her in surprise while Ithnan grits his teeth at her continued defiance.

"Curse you!"

"Ha, as if, dattenabe~! Chibi-magi, you got an idea?" She calls back, fending off Alibaba's attacks.

"Hai, Nee-san! Destroy the eye on his forehead!" Aladdin commands.

Natsuko grins.

"Aa! Let's go, Alibaba-gaki! Show me what you've got or you're gonna regret it!" She goads him, her bisento whirling faster and faster as she attacks him in earnest.

Alibaba grits his teeth, focusing on blocking as her bisento rips off pieces of his Dark Djinn equip but does manage to defend his head. Her lips purse and she sighs.

"What a pain. Brats! Get ready!"

With that warning Natsuko starts a series of spinning strikes that force Alibaba to constantly adjust how he is guarding himself. Morgiana guesses what Natsuko is planning and charges, pushing herself to reach them in time. Natsuko whirls her bisento powerfully, knocking Alibaba's sword aside completely, leaving him vulnerable! Morgiana takes advantage of the opening, slamming her heel down on the mockery of a Third Eye. It shatters under her kick and Alibaba staggers, clutching his head.

Natsuko drags Morgiana aside and Aladdin has a clear shot to use Wisdom of Solomon, entering his best friend's mind. With a loud sigh, Natsuko catches Alibaba before he hits his head on the floor and lays him down. Hakuryuu does the same for Aladdin and glances questioningly at Natsuko.

"What now, Uzumaki-dono?" He asks her.

She blinks and laughs lightly.

"We believe in them, dattenabe! Probably shouldn't move them for now, but at least we can make them comfortable. And we can eat while we wait!" She says with a flourish, opening a bag and pulling out steamed buns.

They stare at her, then the buns. Natsuko shoves them into their hands and starts eating one herself, casually scanning the area as she sits down. Morgiana breaks the silence.

"Ano… Why are you here, Uzumaki-san?" She inquires politely.

Natsuko swallows, slaps down a privacy seal then leans back on her hands as she talks.

"Onēsan was worried. She saw Al-Thamen was on the move so she sent me and Nii-san to assist." She answers frankly.

Morgiana and Hakuryuu stiffen in surprise and confusion.

"Onēsan? Nii-san?" Morgiana questions, tilting her head.

Natsuko winks at her, tapping her lips with her index finger in the sign for 'quiet'.

"It's a secret~! But we don't mean harm towards you so don't worry about it dattenabe!"

"… If both you and your 'Nii-san' were sent- where is he?" Hakuryuu asks.

Natsuko bares her teeth in a terrifying smile.

"Sindria. Onēsan ordered Nii-san to go there which is why I got to help you and not that pervert king~!"

Morgiana and Hakuryuu sweat drop at her casual bashing of Sinbad and hope Natsuko's 'Nii-san' is able to help save Sindria.

_Back with Izuna…_

He blurs as he races for the edge of the magic barrier, pushing himself nearly to his full speed. Izuna ignores the battles the Generals are engaged in, knowing they can handle themselves. Soon enough he spots Drakon and Hinahoho leading a battalion of soldiers, setting the malicious ooze on fire. His eyebrow quirks in sardonic amusement and he leaps next to Drakon.

"Where is Pisti? I need to borrow her bird." He demands.

Drakon grimaces but points upwards where Pisti is circling above them. Izuna sighs then looks at Hinahoho and gets a terrible only-an-Uzumaki-or-Hashirama-would-be-dumb-enough-to-do-it idea.

_Dammit, Natsuko is rubbing off on me…_ He laments mentally before looking Hinahoho in the eye.

"Throw me up there." He says in complete seriousness.

To his credit, Hinahoho doesn't argue, merely picking up Izuna and throwing him like a harpoon. Izuna has a moment to regret not being allowed to form his Susanoo when he rockets past Pisti. He twists in the air as he starts to come down and Pisti maneuvers her bird so he lands on its' back. It still squawks, but doesn't throw him off. He meets her eyes and simply points to the ooze.

"Get me down there. When we do, hover about twenty feet up and start flying along the leading edge of the ooze as fast as you can."

Pisti nods and urges her bird lower until at the prescribed height. Then Izuna goes to the head of the bird, anchors himself with chakra and forms the tiger seal for one of his favorite katon techniques as Izuna inhales deeply.

_Katon: Majestic Fire Destruction!_

A powerful stream of flames roars out of his mouth and crashes down upon the malignant ooze, burning it away easily. Pisti barely keeps her bird under control as Izuna breathes fire down below, but manages to get it moving on the flight pattern Izuna had demanded. The Uchiha continues the stream of flame as they soar a perimeter sweep, keeping the ooze from climbing the broken magic barrier.

He stops to take a breath, inhales deeply again and nods to Pisti before starting unleashing Majestic Fire Destruction once more. This time he burns it back to the ocean, the ooze catching fire easily and spreading widely. A glint at the corner of his eye barely gives him warning as a beam of light destroys exactly half of the remaining ooze. He glances at Yamraiha and shakes his head in annoyance before kneading more chakra in his belly.

_One more pass should do it._ He calculates, nodding to Pisti again and opens his mouth-!

Only for a familiar symbol in the sky to appear with a feminine figure before it, making him blanch.

"Get back! Someone's about to use their Extreme Magic!" He bellows.

Pisti wastes no time retreating to the other side of Sindria, away from the King's Candidate as she unleashes a tsunami to wash away the rest of the malevolent ooze. Izuna sighs loudly and walks back to sit on the bird's back, considering the information he had gained from the attack. Pisti shoots him wary glances (which he notices) but Izuna ignores her as he calculates the probable skills of Kougyoku Ren. All in all, not bad for a day's work.

…

It takes several days later before Natsuko returns with the four kids who entered Zagan, beaming brightly when she spots Izuna from her boat. The ship that had originally carried four youngsters to Zagan's Dungeon trails behind Natsuko's _Whirlpool_.

"Izuna-nii! We're baaaack, dattenabe!" She yells as she maneuvers _Whirlpool_ to the dock.

Izuna laughs, tossing her a line to secure her boat with and she bounds off to hug him tightly. She peeks around at Sindria, nodding in satisfaction at the lack of damage.

"Must not have been too bad. I'm gonna stow my things then hit the gambling dens~ I'm sure they've recovered since I haven't visited for a year!" She cackles gleefully, rubbing her hands together excitedly.

"Ah, Natsuko-chan! It's been a long time!" Sinbad greets her charmingly, trying to grab her hand.

Natsuko easily evades him and deliberately ignores him in favor of introducing Izuna to Alibaba, Aladdin, Morgiana and Hakuryuu who disembarked the other ship.

"Oi, brats! This is my Nii-san, Izuna! Izuna-nii, this is Hakuryuu- he captured the Dungeon. The blond is Alibaba-gaki, he's another Dungeon Capturer, the chibi is Aladdin and a magi and this is Morgiana-chan! Doesn't she look like Isi?" She introduces them.

Izuna smiles warmly at them and bows slightly in greeting, ignoring Natsuko's question.

"It's nice to meet you all. I hope Natsuko wasn't too much trouble to work with." His onyx eyes glint merrily as he teases Natsuko.

Natsuko pouts at him.

"Izuna-nii!" She complains.

"Ah my bad; she's always trouble." He smirks at Natsuko, ruffling her hair before ducking a punch.

Natsuko huffs, folding her arms as she glares daggers at Izuna. Aladdin stares at them, wide-eyed while Hakuryuu, Morgiana and Alibaba try to figure out a polite way to respond to that. Izuna chuckles, amused by their confusion.

"Don't worry, we're usually like this. Just go with it, aa?" He gently assures them.

Natsuko rolls her eyes and spins to go.

"I'll set sail in the morning, Izuna-nii, so you better be there!"

"Ah! Nee-san, where're you going?" Aladdin asks, curiosity egging him on.

Natsuko grins at Aladdin and sends a terrifying smirk at Sinbad, who stiffens in dawning horror.

"I'm gonna hit the gambling dens dattenabe! They should have recovered from last time~!" She sniggers.

Sinbad quickly steps in, sweating as he tries to dissuade her.

"Ah, Natsuko-chan, please don't! They haven't recovered their losses-!"

"Bullshit~!" She sings, holding up a local gambling token.

"I had Izuna-nii check for me~! It's bad to lie, Ero-oji-san!" Natsuko laughs, sauntering away before Sinbad can stop her.

Not that he could, being frozen stiff at being called 'pervert uncle', a situation that Izuna is all too willing to let him stay in. Sinbad's Generals snigger at his expression, enjoying the moment.

"I hear there is to be a feast at the palace tonight in your collective honor. Shall we get going?" Izuna offers them a diplomatic out from Sinbad's awkwardness.

Morgiana nods and grabs Alibaba and Aladdin to drag them along. Hakuryuu apologizes, citing he needs to greet his cousin Kougyoku first and departs. Izuna chaperones, keeping up a stream of easy conversation and deflecting questions concerning his or Natsuko's pasts. And Aladdin continues to wonder why Izuna and Natsuko feel so different from everyone else…

_Back in Naruto verse, Konoha…_

Tsunade stares at Team Kakashi, then the lone stranger in the group before sighing loudly.

"Alright, Yamato said you have information on Orochimaru. Let's hear it." Tsunade tells Xia.

Xia nods, bites her thumb and swipes a seal that appears on her left arm. There is a massive 'poof' as multiple sealing scrolls tumble out of her arm seal onto the ground. The ANBU tense as she starts unsealing all the scrolls, revealing more scrolls… Eventually she stops when there are nearly fifty sealing scrolls on the floor excluding the ones that held them all. Tsunade and the other Konoha shinobi sweat drop at the sheer volume of materials Xia swiped from Orochimaru.

Xia glances up and notices their stunned expressions.

"I _did_ say I cleared out everything I could get my hands on." She reminds them.

"…" They all stay silent, still dumbfounded.

"Way to make a kunoichi feel appreciated. Oh, and then there's **this** ugly bastard. Don't open it unless you have a Sealing Master on hand." She warns Tsunade, holding up a scroll that is covered in dried bloodstains.

Tsunade narrows her eyes at Xia.

"What is sealed in it, exactly?" She demands, unnerved by Xia's condition for a Sealing Master.

Xia grimaces and then sighs.

"Please activate the privacy seals, Lady Hokage." She asks respectfully and seriously.

Samar shoots her a sharp look but Xia pointedly doesn't look at her, keeping her eyes trained on Tsunade's face. Tsunade frowns but activates the seals, clasping her hands together and leaning her chin on them.

"Report." She orders.

Xia straightens before sighing gustily.

"It contains one of Orochimaru's Curse Marks, specifically the one he tried to give me." She answers, bracing herself.

Naruto and Sakura gape at her while Tsunade, Shizune and Yamato stare at her wide-eyed. Sai and Samar are confused, watching the other's reactions worriedly or placidly (depending on their personality).

Tsunade recovers first.

"**What?!** How did you remove it?!" She yells, slamming her hands on her desk with a loud crunch.

Xia smiles grimly.

"Samar and I are half Uchiha, but we're also half _Kouga._ Our mom can harness another type of energy that can negate or block chakra if applied properly. She taught us how to use it for emergencies. Chakra-repressing seals don't work on it, so I was able to use it to cocoon the Curse Mark and keep it from latching onto my chakra network. After I broke out of my cell I found a scalpel and cut out the Curse Mark then sealed it." She answers coldly.

Samar swears, dots connecting in her mind.

"That's why you-!" She gasps, remembering the tell-tale lines of magoi overuse.

Xia winces, rubbing the back of her head.

"Aa, sorry sis?" She tries.

Samar isn't having it, decking Xia into the floor for her stupidity.

"How long did you keep it active?!" She snarls, Sharingan flashing in her anger.

Xia dodges the next attack, knowing Samar isn't going to like her answer.

"I have no idea! There wasn't exactly a clock down there Samar!" Xia tries to reason with her.

"You **baka**! You could have _died!"_ Samar yells.

"Well, it's not like I had a shit ton of options, Samar! Either I fought it or I let it take over and _as if_ I was gonna let **Snake Bitch** get a foothold in my head!" Xia roars back, hair bristling as she stands her ground and eyes flashing red.

Samar hisses in aggravation before stalking to stand next to Sakura and Sai while Naruto peeks out from behind Yamato.

"Are they done?" He whispers, slightly afraid.

"I think so..?" Sakura answers, watching the sisters warily.

Tsunade rubs her forehead, giving both Kouga sisters a baleful stare before addressing the entire team.

"Well, despite the mission failing its initial objective… Good job on bringing back the information and Xia-san. Now, I **hope** you all understand how important it is that no one else finds out about Samar and Xia's heritage..?"

"Uh, Granny? I don't get it, dattebayo! Isn't them being related to Sasuke-teme a good thing?" Naruto asks, frowning.

"Naruto, how can you be such a baka?! _Of course_ we need to be careful not to talk about it! The other shinobi villages would try to kidnap them for the Sharingan! Not to mention bloodline thieves like Orochimaru…" Sakura shudders.

Naruto tilts his head in confusion. Samar clarifies it for him.

"Uchiha are rare, Naruto. They would try to take our eyes or force us to have children that could potentially have the Sharingan. Right now, the only people that know are those in this room, our nii-san and Sasuke. And that's how it **needs** to stay. So we're not going to talk about it outside of this office, aa?"

Naruto squints but seems to understand, nodding. Then his hand smacks his hand as he thinks of something.

"Oh, is that why you've been going by Kouga and not Uchiha, Samar-chan?!" He exclaims excitedly.

Samar nods and Xia grins.

"Oooh, keeping to tradition are we~? Well, at least it'll throw people off the scent." Xia muses thoughtfully.

"Tradition?" Sakura inquires, green eyes sharp.

Xia laughs.

"Aa. Mom's clan, the Kouga, are matrilineal so we took Mom's last name rather than Dad's." She explains.

Sakura nods in understanding. Tsunade stands, getting their attention.

"To be crystal clear, no one is to tell anyone outside this office Samar Kouga and Xia Kouga are half Uchiha. This is an S-rank secret! Now, get out-_ not_ you two!" She barks at Samar and Xia.

The sisters shrug and stay still as Yamato, Naruto, Sakura and Sai file out, closing the door behind them. There is silence for a moment and Tsunade pulls out a battered journal and taps it with a finger, eyeing them.

"I looked through the records my great-uncle Tobirama left behind on your recommendation, Samar. His notes rather blatantly state the only person who could be your father, given his knowledge of your mother's personal relationships. The fact you have the Sharingan, and the Mangekyo in your case Xia, is the final nail in the coffin."

Xia cocks her hip, folding her arms and Samar merely smiles at her. Shizune tilts her head in confusion and Tsunade sighs then glares at them.

"So, when exactly were you going to tell me that **Madara Uchiha** was your father?" She demands angrily.

Shizune squeaks in surprise. The two sisters exchange glances and Xia is the one who speaks up this time.

"Mom has rules for us to follow if we ever came to the Elemental Nations and we couldn't find Dad. The first was never show our Sharingan, save for family or in moments of life and death. The second is to find the Uchiha clan and failing that then the Senju or Uzumaki. The last is never say who our father is to anyone that isn't Mito-san, Hashirama-san or Tobirama-san."

Tsunade blinks and Shizune gasps. There is a stretch of silence as Tsunade processes then she sighs loudly, staring at them.

"You said you have an older brother still missing?" She directs her question to Samar.

She nods sharply. Tsunade hums and makes a decision.

"Samar, I am promoting you to chunin on Yamato's recommendation. Xia, in a weeks' time you will have the opportunity to take the genin exam and become an official kunoichi of Konohagakure after being vetted by T&I. I'll have Jiraiya put feelers out, but you'll need to henge into your brother so Jiraiya can ID him. And I will be telling Jiraiya and Kakashi about your heritage as Uchihas."

"Why?" Xia asks cautiously, narrowing her eyes.

"They are some of the few people I trust. Kakashi will be working with you two frequently and Jiraiya is my spy master. This is information they **need** to know, especially if your brother _also_ has the Sharingan-"

"Oh, he does." Xia says cheerfully.

Samar nods curtly in confirmation.

"… Well, that's just great." Tsunade groans, fumbling for her sake.

Shizune snaps out of her funk and instantly grabs the bottle from Tsunade.

"Tsunade! No!" Shizune reprimands her.

Tonton oinks in agreement.

"Hah?! Can't you see I need something to take the edge off with this conversation?! There are three, **three** Uchiha running around and they're _Madara's_ children! So give it up Shizune!" Tsunade yells, lunging for the sake.

Shizune dodges and Xia smirks at Samar as master and disciple race around the Hokage's office. Samar clears her throat and Tsunade and Shizune pause their struggle to stare at them.

"May we go, Lady Tsunade?" Samar requests politely.

Tsunade frowns but nods.

"Yeah, go get Xia settled in your apartment and give her a tour of Konoha. Report to the hospital tomorrow morning for checkups at eight o'clock sharp!" She dismisses them.

Xia and Samar exit and Xia chuckles softly. Samar gives her a questioning stare.

"That went well." Xia tells her.

Samar smiles slightly and nods.

"Hn." She agrees.

_In Amegakure, several days later…_

Pain's face remains impassive as he reads through a recent report from Kusa no Kuni. He reads it again, checking that he did not have any of the details incorrect, and summons Itachi and Kisame to his office. The pair enter a moment later and stand before his desk attentively. Pain notes that Itachi's complexion has improved greatly, correlating nicely with Keiichi's report on his recovery. He nods in greeting, lays down the report he was reading and taps it with one finger.

"Our spies in Kusa have reported that Orochimaru's base in that region was destroyed, rather spectacularly and thoroughly according to the report."

Kisame barks out a laugh while Itachi frowns slightly.

"Do we know who?" Itachi inquires.

Pain nods.

"A team from Konoha located the base, presumably to retrieve Sasuke Uchiha. Exact details prior to the explosion are unknown, but we do have confirmation that one of Orochimaru's prisoners defeated Sasuke and escaped with the Konoha team. Orochimaru's other experiments and prisoners were also spotted fleeing the area prior to detonation. The Snake Sannin has been flushed out into the open, meaning this is an opportune time to end him before he goes to ground again." Pain tells them.

"Hai." They respond.

Pain hands them the report, along with information on possible bases the Snake Sannin is retreating to. He glances at them and a thought occurs to him.

"Take Keiichi with you. I am not risking you falling into a relapse, Itachi." Pain says coolly.

Itachi nods and exits, Kisame behind him. They climb upstairs where Keiichi had taken over Sasori's workshop and reconfigured it to his liking. Itachi knocks on the door, not trying to open it (everyone had seen the hellish mess from Keiichi's prank seals when Tobi had tried to sneak in once). A series of thumps, bangs and crashes answers him until Keiichi yanks the door open. Various powders, soot and ink cover his face and clothes.

He glares at them.

"What? I was in the middle of decoding Sasori's papers, so this better be good." Keiichi growls.

"We have an assignment." Itachi states calmly.

"Pack what you need, Keiichi-kun, we've got a snake to kill." Kisame grins at him.

Keiichi blinks and frowns pensively.

"Are we talking about an actual snake or a person who acts like one?" He demands, swinging the door open wider.

"A person. His name is Orochimaru, the Snake Sannin and former member of the Akatsuki. Leader wants him dead for defecting." Itachi explains.

Keiichi stares at them for a moment before rubbing his face with a muffled groan.

"Augh. Fine, what do you recommend packing-wise?" He asks, gesturing for them to come into the workshop.

The seals on the door frame pulse and retreat as Keiichi deactivates them to allow them inside. Kisame glances around curiously at the piles of papers, scrolls, crafting tools, inkbrushes, books and seals scattered around the room. He reaches out to inspect one of the scraps of paper and Keiichi's hand lashes out, stopping him.

"**Do. Not. Touch. Anything."** He bites out, Killer Intent leaking out of him in waves.

Kisame raises his eyebrows but nods. Keiichi releases him and snatches up the paper, revealing it is an explosion seal: a **very** powerful one. He reorganizes the piles of papers, seals and sealing tags into orderly stacks then starts assembling everything for their mission. Itachi keeps a wary eye on him as Keiichi bustles around the room and glances at Kisame.

Kisame signs he is fine and Itachi nods, then both missing-nin watch as Keiichi unrolls various sealing scrolls and dumps different things together.

"Medicines, poisons, rations, food pills, soldier pills, plasma pills, sealing tools, clothes, water, spare weapons, ready-to-use seals, {"wand"}, sword, stupid mandatory Akatsuki hat, Akatsuki robe, spare scrolls-" Keiichi mumbles, arranging the items on different scrolls and sealing them as he goes.

His sword, a piandao, is securely attached to his back with a harness he designed for easier drawing and improved further with seals. His wand is stashed in a holster attached to his shuriken and kunai rig. Keiichi pulls on his robe then stashes scrolls inside mini pocket dimensions within the sleeves. But several he seals directly into a storage seal tattooed onto his left arm, which fades as soon as he finishes. Finally, with clear reluctance, Keiichi puts on the Akatsuki hat.

"… I feel like an idiot wearing this." He states flatly.

Kisame sniggers while Itachi withholds commentary. They exit Keiichi's workshop and he pauses, air-drawing an additional seal on the door and activating his other seals at the same time. He nods in satisfaction and follows Itachi and Kisame downstairs. When the trio leaves the Akatsuki headquarters, Zetsu and Tobi approach Keiichi's workshop and stare at the mass of seals he had secured the room with.

"… I don't think it's worth it." Zetsu mutters, eyeing the door warily.

Tobi frowns at it behind his mask.

"I wouldn't care normally if he hadn't **somehow** managed to block my Kamui ability to phase through objects. _That_ is concerning. Not to mention he rarely strays from Itachi or Konan when he's not in one of his workshops or his room." Tobi retorts icily.

He fails to add that he dearly wants to repay Keiichi in kind with some nastier pranks of his own- but given the seals that remains a pipe dream.

Zetsu frowns but concedes that the newest Uchiha is very paranoid (reasonably) about others entering what he deems 'his' spaces. Something about him tugs at Zetsu's memory but for the life of him he can't remember who Keiichi reminds him of. Shaking it off, Zetsu tries to alleviate Tobi's concerns.

"Pain has him under control with that seal of his. Even if he wanted to, Keiichi-kun couldn't attack us. He would have to get permission and you have Pain under your thumb." Zetsu reminds him

Tobi hums in annoyance, but cannot fault Zetsu's logic. The two manipulators leave, each wondering about how best to mold Keiichi to their uses. Outside of Ame, Keiichi sneezes multiple times and wonders who is talking about him.

**And that is a wrap! This was a monster of a chapter (why I can't seem to break them up I have no idea) at about 15000 words or 36 pages. Next time will be in the PAST! Until next time, please review and comment!**

**Side note: I barely remembered the reverse summoning aspect of summoning animal contracts but I am so happy I did… **


	11. Revelations (Past)

**Hello my readers~! I own nothing from Naruto or Magi, but I do own my OCs and plot shenanigans and how I employ my knowledge! Here is chapter 11 with Ilona and the gang again in the PAST. Things are heating up and a big meeting is finally happening, mwa ha ha ha ha! We also get to see more the Senjus this chapter…**

**Warnings: violence, swearing, gore, torture (brief) and wtf moments will occur. **

**Also, side note: I will be working on the next chapter for Lady Hero soon, but I need to finish my next chapter for Jade Dragon's Descent (I put it off for months… T.T) so there is my answer on that! Questions? No? Great~!**

**Now, on with the madness~!**

_The Past…_

Ilona tilts her head at the impression in the ground, frowning fiercely. It is the same as the other she had found over a week ago- a mostly complete circle with a triangular indent. She feels the edges- still crisp and well defined.

'Fresh- less than a day old.' She muses, standing and moving to her horse.

'_Interesting.'_ Metis remarks.

'_But why are you following the strange footprints?'_

'A feeling. And I am curious.' Ilona answers, mounting.

Just as she urges her horse into a trot, Senju-kun bursts through the trees, startling her mount badly. Ilona grits her teeth as she brings her horse back under control and her temper flares as she looks at the shinobi.

"Senju-!" She hisses when several **new** presences ping on her awareness.

Quickly she dismounts and sends her horse deeper into the woods, ignoring Senju-kun for now as she assesses the new presences.

_Five total- four male, one female, all of them leaking bloodlust and cruelty. They have refined chakra and their overall speed points to them being shinobi. Wonderful._ She sighs mentally.

Violet eyes flicker to Senju-kun, narrowing dangerously as she readies her razor wire and sword.

"This is your fault, isn't it?" She states flatly.

The albino remains silent as he vanishes into the treetops. Mere moments after the squad of shinobi appears, crouching in the branches above her. Most of them have giant shuriken tied to their backs and squint down at her, sneering.

"A civilian?" One of them questions.

"Let's kill her then find that damn Senju and earn our bounty money." Another suggests.

"Fine with me."

"Hang on, why are we wasting time on the likes her? We have better prey to catch!" The kunoichi points out.

"True- but she's seen us. And our client doesn't want any witnesses on this job." One of the shinobi answers, pulling his giant shuriken free.

_It seems peace is not an option. _Ilona silently sighs.

"Kil-!" The leader suddenly gags, a kunai buried in his throat.

Ilona snaps her wrist and sends two more kunai towards the shinobi at her back, forcing them to the sides where she can see them.

"You bitch!" The kunoichi howls, throwing a giant shuriken at her.

Ilona dodges smoothly and absently tracks its' path as it comes back, nearly invisible wire loose and ready in her hand. The three shinobi throw their giant shuriken at her only to multiply! Violet eyes widen and instinct takes over. Her body flies into a roll under the rain of shuriken and she darts behind a tree, which is quickly impaled. Ilona stretches her senses and feels the shinobi splitting to flank her as they catch shuriken to throw again.

Ilona sheathes her sword for the moment and quickly flicks her wire into the canopy, deftly manipulating it to form a deadly spider's web. Mere seconds later, two of the shinobi appear, ready to throw with furious snarls contorting their faces. She doesn't give them the chance.

The wires wrap viciously around them and they have time for a brief flicker of fear before Ilona tears them apart. Calmly, she grabs a giant shuriken and checks the balance before throwing it in a sharp arc overhead. Curses from her two remaining opponents tells her they aren't dead yet.

_Let's fix that._ Ilona thinks coldly, unspooling another coil of razor wire.

A surge of chakra to her left tells her where the kunoichi is while the last shinobi flanks from the right. Ilona considers for all of a second which one to take down first before opting for the shinobi- the kunoichi is a hothead.

_The more emotional she is, the easier she will be to kill._ She assesses as she moves silently for the shinobi.

He spots her, throwing another giant shuriken but Ilona slides under it and keeps advancing on him. He swiftly realizes she's trying to cut him off and shunshins for his squad mate. Ilona throws a set of normal sized shuriken directly in his path, forcing him to jump lower to evade. She sprints forward, drawing her sword to deflect another shower of giant shuriken from the kunoichi and flash steps directly below him. The shinobi doesn't panic, to her annoyance, and quick-draws a tanto. Ilona narrows her eyes and maneuvers her wire to force him to the forest floor or be sliced to ribbons.

He swears and leaps off the tree and as far from her as possible. Ilona pushes magoi into her legs and blurs, engaging him at close quarters. She keeps avid attention to the kunoichi and shinobi's magoi as she fights, alert for any changes and taking advantage of the early warning system. The shinobi grits his teeth as he tries for a body lock, but Ilona slips away to let him pass her and expertly slams the sword through the back of his neck. His body poofs into smoke, replaced with a log and Ilona sighs as she releases her blade to block his tanto with a knife.

His eyes widen in surprise and Ilona hooks her leg behind his, tripping him.

"Fuck!" He yells, swiping at her.

Ilona blocks it with a knife, already swinging her other hand down and into his skull with a second blade she had drawn mere moments before. The shinobi falls and Ilona leaves the dagger there as she dodges yet another giant shuriken.

"I'll **kill** you! I'll kill you, I'll kill you-!" The kunoichi screams, shunshinning at her with a katana drawn.

Ilona's eyes harden and she blurs, her knife meeting the katana with a loud clang as they speed past each other. The kunoichi turns, scrambling to correct herself as Ilona pivots and charges her. Ilona's fingers twitch and the kunoichi hisses as she chops at Ilona's skull. The former gladiator slips aside and kicks her opponent viciously in the knee, breaking it with an audible 'crack'. Screams fill the air as the kunoichi tumbles to the ground, clutching her leg. Ilona is unmoved and twists her wrist: razor wire whines with sudden tautness around the kunoichi's throat and arms. Her eyes bulge with fear as Ilona coldly stares down at the kunoichi.

"I do not like killing." Ilona tells her, tightening her fingers slowly.

The kunoichi starts to wheeze for air as the wire cuts off her wind pipe, her expression begging for mercy.

"And I do not like to waste my time. So. What are the details of the job you were hired for?" Ilona demands, fractionally loosening the wire.

"G-Go to hell!" The kunoichi spits.

Ilona doesn't blink- she acts. The kunoichi screams as Ilona steps on her broken knee, brutally grinding the bone fragments together. This continues for a minute before Ilona removes her foot- the kunoichi is crying in relief.

"The job." Ilona repeats herself calmly.

"W-We were hired to assassinate Tobirama Senju and lay the blame on the Uchiha!" She gasps.

Ilona narrows her eyes and the kunoichi shivers in terror.

"I see." She states coolly.

"Thank you for the information. But… I do not show mercy upon those whom are my enemies- or **make** themselves my enemies." She continues casually as she retightens the razor wire.

The kunoichi makes a garbled sound as she fights the wire frantically.

Ilona's expression remains impassive as she rips the kunoichi apart, blood splattering her face. An all too familiar feeling- not one she relishes. Coolly, Ilona turns her attention to the Senju who dumped his mess upon her, anger boiling in her veins.

…

Tobirama has a bad feeling when the mercenary shifts her focus from her defeated enemies to him- despite how he had suppressed his chakra, he might add! He grimaces, eyes and throat still burning from her damned powder as she tugs her sword free and stares pointedly in his direction.

"Did you enjoy leading them to slaughter?" She asks, her tone hard and freezing with disapproval.

Tobirama, carefully, reveals himself and eyes her cautiously.

"I wasn't certain what to expect but I knew of the two of us-"

"Us? There is no **us**, Senju. There is you and I, nothing more or less than that. And don't lie, it angers me." She cuts in, anger growing.

Tobirama stiffens and tries again- he does not want this woman to attack him, given what he just witnessed.

"My senses are impaired- if they had not been, I would have dealt with the problem myself." He explains.

Her expression stills- and Tobirama feels a shiver runs down his spine at the darkness in her eyes. She takes several deep breathes and then starts walking away.

"I'm done with this- _and you_ if you think to pin your own carelessness and stupidity on me." She says coldly.

Tobirama's teeth grind at her blatant insinuations, his temper sparking.

"You fought for the Uchiha! Of course I would keep tabs on you!" He snaps.

"And **as I told you**, I have since then ended my contract with the Uchiha clan." She reminds him sharply.

"You memory is flawed for a shinobi- best remedy that before it kills you." The mercenary adds.

Tobirama is livid at that comment.

"Why you-!" He starts to hiss, face burning hotly.

"Oh? Does that offend you? **Good.** Now you know how I feel about cleaning up _your_ mess. Those assassins were after **you**, or were you not listening? Best think on that before accusing me again." She interrupts icily.

Tobirama become rigid, vibrating with rage and wariness. The mercenary, having driven her point home, gathers her weapons and strides out of the clearing without a backwards glance. Anger boiling in his gut, Tobirama makes one of the few truly impulsive decisions in his life; he follows.

The mercenary ignores him as she follows her horse's tracks through the undergrowth, spurring his temper at her blatant disregard. In a rare state of fury he leaps down to confront her.

"This was your own damn fault!" He snaps, trying to intimidate her with his height.

She tilts her head at him, expression cold.

"Get out of my way."

"Like hell woman! If it weren't for your blasted powder, I would have been able to fight them myself-!"

"Get. Out. Of. My. Way." She repeats herself.

"Or what?" Tobirama goads her, ruby eyes flashing.

"Will you poison me again? Don't think that will work twice!"

She tilts her head at him.

"… I am not in the mood to deal with you- leave before I do something we'll both regret."

"You arrogant-!" Tobirama starts to growl but is interrupted by a loud crashing noise.

The mercenary and shinobi tense, searching for the source. The sounds continue, almost in a rhythmic way as the ground and forest shakes around them… Abruptly Tobirama can sense a massive source of chakra walking towards them- bigger than anything he had ever sensed previously. He starts to sweat as what can only be a **Biju** wanders directly towards them.

_Was it cloaking its chakra?! Shit, if I don't get out of here-!_ Tobirama thinks, readying himself to run.

The mercenary, on the other hand, cocks her head, clearly sensing something but doesn't show any signs of fear. Instead, defying all common sense, she strides forward to meet the Biju with an enviable poise. Trees crash down and Tobirama has an unimpeded view of one of the beasts of disaster. White, with a body vaguely like that of a horse and five lashing tails, the Five-Tails stares down at them. The mercenary continues to walk, stopping a respectable distance from the Biju- and bows in greeting.

"Hello. I am Sasha. Who might you be?" She inquires calmly.

Tobirama gapes at her while the Biju eyes her curiously.

"What are you doing?!" He hisses.

She ignores him, keeping her full attention on the Five-Tails.

"… I am the Gobi." The Biju answers eventually.

The woman- Sasha- inclines her head in gratitude.

"A pleasure to meet you, Gobi-san. If I may, have you seen a horse pass through this area?" She asks.

The Gobi tilts her head and nods slowly before one of her tails points off to the east.

"It went that direction." The Gobi tells her.

Sasha nods.

"I see, thank you."

And without further ado starts walking in that direction, surprising both the Biju and shinobi.

"Woman-!" Tobirama starts to hiss but shuts up when she glares at him.

Satisfied, Sasha makes it a few more steps before the Gobi speaks.

"A moment, if you would."

Sasha pauses and turns to face the Biju, raising an eyebrow at her.

"Yes, Gobi-san?"

Tails swish as the Biju stares at her with a slight frown.

"Where do you come from?"

Sasha falls silent for a long moment before speaking.

"A land so far away it might as well be another world." She finally responds.

Both Tobirama and the Gobi blink at her strange evasiveness. Then Tobirama deadpans, annoyed.

"That's not an answer!" He snaps.

Sasha tilts her head at him.

"That is my answer- and that is all **you** will told on the matter." She emphasizes, clearly meaning him and not the Biju.

She turns back to the Biju before he can pick his jaw off the ground.

"Gobi-san, if you wish to know more I would prefer to speak in private. Shinobi are not very good at respecting privacy, as I've found out the hard way." Sasha explains.

The Biju's eyes crinkle in amusement at that annoyed observation.

"This way," She invites Sasha, twisting to go.

Sasha nods and strides after the Biju with no hesitation. Tobirama stands there, unable to process what the hell he had just seen. A human, not running away or attacking a Biju- instead having a perfectly civil conversation without hysterics.

"… What the hell is going on?!" Tobirama wonders aloud in frustration.

…

Ilona cannot help but be awed by Gobi-san (is that a name or title? So hard to tell sometimes…), the similarities between the massive beast and djinn striking a certain note within her. It doesn't help that both Gaia and Metis are incredibly intrigued by Gobi-san. They soon reach a temple-like structure where Gobi-san lays down.

"Sit. And tell me of this homeland of yours that has no chakra." Gobi-san requests.

Ilona seats herself, laying her sword beside her before beginning her story.

"So you noticed that? Most everyone seems surprised by my lack of it." Ilona remarks.

Gobi-san squints at her in surprise.

"To lack chakra is akin to being dead- although you clearly disprove that notion." She reflects.

Ilona snorts in amusement.

"I would hope so- I don't fancy being some undead demon wandering around." Ilona says dryly.

Gobi-san chuckles in amusement and Ilona sighs deeply.

"Where to begin..? Ah, I suppose I should start with this." She decides, pulling out the frame to Gaia's mirror.

Gobi-san frowns but Ilona holds up a hand, forestalling protests.

"I was not lying when I said my homeland is akin to a world away- because it is upon another world. This," She gestures to the empty frame.

"Was a mirror and arcane artifact meant to send the holder to distant lands in an instant. I earned it during my travels abroad."

"What happened to it? How did you come to be here?" Gobi-san inquires, deeply curious now.

The Biju named Kokuo can sense remnant power from the golden frame- and it feels familiar to her. But she needs confirmation first. Meanwhile Ilona grimaces, fingering a necklace around her neck.

"I was exploring what is called a 'Dungeon'- it is a place full of unusual dangers and trials. If you succeed in surviving and making it to the heart of the Dungeon, called the 'Treasure Room', within is an array of treasures and magical devices such as this." Ilona taps the mirror frame.

"As well as a… I suppose the closest word is 'guardian spirit'. The Dungeons serve as their homes and they cannot leave them unless someone makes it to the Treasure Room and is deemed worthy by said spirit. Failure to meet that standard is punished by the unworthy one remaining trapped within the perils of the Dungeon until death or a worthy adventurer reaches the Treasure Room. I had reached the Treasure Room and had been accepted by the spirit Gaia; but I was not the only one to brave the Dungeon." She explains, her voice falling into a cadence as she tells her tale.

"Another adventurer named Sinbad was also there but arrived at the Treasure Room after me. Sinbad is the most greedy and manipulative man I have ever had the displeasure of knowing- he has conquered two Dungeons prior to my misadventure. So, being true to his nature, he tried to claim what he perceived as the most valuable treasure as his own- this mirror. I objected, leading to a scuffle which ended with the mirror breaking and unleashing its magics. A portal formed, sucked me in and I fell into this world. The mirror remained broken, however, and the shards that would make it whole scattered." Ilona concludes.

Kokuo blinks at the fantastical tale- never had she considered there being life in other worlds! But a spark of wariness grows within her.

"Can you prove this tale?" She demands, eyeing the wanderer carefully.

Ilona nods calmly, standing.

"Please do not be alarmed. What I am about to do is something that can be accomplished by those in tune with their partner spirits." Ilona requests before focusing.

"_**Spirit of Memory and Defiance, dwell within my frame, transform my body and grant me the power to write my own Fate! Metis!"**_ She chants in Fire, an eight-pointed star glowing brightly on her hairpin.

Golden winds whip around her in a cyclone, obscuring her from sight only to stop as suddenly as it began. Kokuo gasps in shock as **pure life force** is consumed in high quantities to fuel the transformation. Before the Gobi Ilona stands proudly and Kokuo can sense the power within her frame.

Scarves preserve Ilona's modesty while wild tattoos of various designs and colors decorate her bare stomach and shoulders. Her legs are exposed but bronze jeweled bracers protect her shins and azure feathers grew on both sides of her calves. Ilona's hands remind Kokuo of a bird's- leathery with strong, curved talons. Further up on her biceps there are bronze armbands with long trailing strings decorating them.

Around Ilona's throat there is a collar-like piece protecting her neck. Her hair, normally a deep brown, is transformed to storm-grey color with thick bunches of it bound at the ends with golden rings. On either side of Ilona's head are two tuffs of feathers, azure to match the ones on her legs, twitching like ears would. But to compound the strangeness of the Dungeon Capturer's appearance, a third eye sits squarely in the middle of her forehead clearly visible.

Kokuo is stunned.

There is no other word for it.

**Never** had she seen, heard or imagined what this wanderer had accomplished. Kokuo closes her eyes briefly and then squarely meets Ilona's amethyst gaze.

"You spoke true." Kokuo marvels quietly.

Ilona nods and Kokuo feels her spark of curiosity growing.

"What can this form of yours do?" She wonders, tilting her head.

Ilona shrugs elegantly.

"Metis is capable of many feats; all are centered on the concept of 'memory'. Memory of a place, memory of a person, memory of past events, removing, sharing or heightening memories… When I first came here I had to employ Metis' abilities to learn the language, for example. I admit I have not fully explored Metis' skills as I should- but then again I **was** being stalked by a shinobi for almost two weeks straight." She sulks.

Kokuo smiles slightly at that.

"I take it this is not something you reveal lightly?"

Ilona shakes her head ruefully.

"No. Only two others I trust know I am capable of this feat. Others are aware I exist but that is it." She explains.

Kokuo nods, her mind pondering the possibilities of this 'Metis'. Ilona clears her throat, regaining Kokuo's attention.

"Gobi-san. My second spirit partner, Gaia, is certain that one of the mirror fragments is in this area. Might you know where it is?" Her voice is calm as she looks up at Kokuo.

The Biju is torn- she knows where the shard is, of course she does it is in her possession! But at the same time, if she gives up the mirror shard this easy companionship would end.

_What should I do..?_ Kokuo thinks to herself.

"…" Ilona takes the opportunity to change back with a brief pulse of golden light as Kokuo thinks.

"… I know where it is." Kokuo admits eventually.

Ilona nods silently, sensing that Kokuo is not done speaking yet.

"But…" Kokuo trails off and Ilona tries to read the tone of her voice.

_Reluctance..? Hmm…_

"… Perhaps an arrangement can be made? A trade, for instance." Ilona offers.

Kokuo blinks and her eyes narrow in thought.

… _I am still curious about Sasha's homeland… Wait, __**that**__ could work-!_

Nodding decisively, the Biju stares down at Ilona.

"A week of your time. Tell me of your world and what adventures you have had. After seven days I will give you the shard." Kokuo decrees.

Ilona smiles slightly and nods.

"I accept your bargain- but first, I need to fetch my horse." She says regretfully.

Kokuo laughs at that.

…

Tobirama frowns as he tries to find where Sasha and the Gobi had disappeared to- but there is no sign of them. Which shouldn't be possible for a sensor of his skills. Especially when you factor in one of the beings he is seeking is a thrice-cursed **Biju**! It shouldn't be possible- but, Tobirama reluctantly admits to himself that in this scenario it seems to be exactly that.

Sighing to himself, Tobirama rubs the bridge of his nose as he tries to think of his next course of action. Protocol dictates since he had completed his mission that he should return to the Senju compound. The problem lies with the mercenary 'Sasha'; she had fought for the Uchiha yet now claims to have severed ties to the ninja clan. What information he had gathered indicates a practical and accomplished fighter who isn't above manipulating her enemies. Her lack of ties makes her dangerous since she can be hired by anyone- such as other enemies of the Senju.

_She should be dealt with before she becomes a threat…_ His mind whispers.

No. Tobirama shakes his head. As matters stand, he is in no condition to fight her. Best to return to the clan- rustling of branches interrupts him. Sasha's mount wanders into the clearing below him, grazing on the grass. His eyebrow twitches. Abruptly he senses the odd void-presence of Sasha coming closer.

_She must be retrieving her horse._ He realizes.

Common sense tells him to leave and return to the clan with his findings. But he still hesitates. And so Sasha spots him again when she recaptures her horse. Violet meets ruby eyes, weighing, measuring. Tobirama tenses, anticipating an attack. She does nothing of the sort, merely turning to go. But right before she vanishes, Sasha gives one last parting shot.

"Senju-kun. Think of the assassins and what they intended to do- think upon _why_ they would be hired to do so."

The woods close behind her as Tobirama tries to understand her warning before he shakes his head and heads homewards- where things make sense. The Senju are the sworn enemies of the Uchiha, Biju don't take an interest in random mercenaries and everyone has chakra. Silently Tobirama hopes he will never see Sasha the Mercenary again.

Fate isn't so kind as to grant his wish, as he later learns.

_A week later… _

Ilona sighs, massaging her throat as she packs her things. Gobi-san had been serious about desiring stories- as many as Ilona could tell. Ilona had delved into the depths of her memories, retelling sagas of her people as well as fragments of her own adventures. She spoke of blistering deserts, sweltering jungles, cities of marble and grasslands as far as the eye can see. Ilona had even, with some reluctance, retold the story of Sinbad claiming the Dungeon Ba'al.

During one of her infrequent breaks, the Biju had told Ilona of Hagoromo Otsutsuki, father of Ninshu and the Biju. Ilona had listened in solemn silence, committing the stories in her memory as Gobi-san spoke. Seven days and nights passed this way, exchanging information, stories and languages. But all good things must come to an end. The eight day dawned bright but cold enough that Ilona can see her breath in the air. She pays it no mind, instead giving her final goodbyes to her host.

"I thank you for your kind hospitality, Gobi-san, child of Hagoromo Otsutsuki. I hope for your future happiness." She tells the Biju sincerely.

Gobi-san nods.

"I hope you find what you are looking for, Sasha of the Kouga." She replies, tails moving idly.

Ilona nods- and smiles slightly.

"I do too- and I must apologize. I gave you my warrior name whilst in the company of the shinobi but never corrected it until now. My personal name is Ilona- Sasha is the name I was given to protect myself." She explains, mounting her horse.

Gobi-san blinks in surprise at her words.

"Sasha… is not your name?" She questions.

Ilona slashes her hand in a negative manner.

"It is- Sasha is the name I give to strangers." She clarifies.

The Biju relaxes in understanding.

"Ah, I see. Then in that case, you may know my true name." She decides.

Ilona tilts her head curiously but remains quiet out of respect of her host.

"My name is Kokuo." The Biju reveals.

"Kokuo…" Ilona murmurs, testing the sounds of her name carefully.

The Biju nods and they exchange looks of understanding and respect before Kokuo uses a tail to drop the mirror shard in her possession into Ilona's hands. Ilona stares at the shard with interest but remembers herself and bows to Kokuo in gratitude.

"I will remember our time together, Kokuo. Perhaps we will meet again one day." Ilona offers.

Kokuo nods, expression softening.

"Aa. I would not be averse to that." She admits.

Ilona smiles slightly before finally leaving. Meanwhile, in the Hi no Kuni Hashirama listens intently to Tobirama's report concerning the mercenary he had met.

"Hmm, I see! So her name is Sasha!" Hashirama beams.

Tobirama deadpans.

"Anija!" He snaps.

Hashirama pouts at him.

"But Tobiiiii…" He whines.

"She was right! You shouldn't be stalking girls!"

Toka snickers at Tobirama's crimson face.

"ANIJA!" Tobirama roars, slamming his hands down on the table.

Hashirama sniggers at Tobirama's face, grinning broadly before he becomes more serious.

"But what troubles me is who hired the Fuma shinobi to kill you and stage it so the Uchiha would take the blame." He frowns.

Toka nods, folding her arms.

"It's odd- I can understand why they would want to claim Tobi's bounty but we are already at war with the Uchiha." She points out.

"What is the gain from this?"

Tobirama frowns- the entire way back he had gone over angles and possibilities but he had disregarded them as unreasonable. Hashirama notices his pensive state and quirks his eyebrows at him.

"Tobi?" He prods him.

Tobirama sighs and reluctantly begins to speak.

"… Anija, how would you react if I died and you were told Madara had ordered it done?"

Hashirama opens his mouth but Tobirama continues to speak over him.

"From an outsider's perspective you would want vengeance- and any chance of alliance between you and Madara would be impossible."

Toka is frowning now as well.

"You think they wanted to prevent the possibility of Hashirama convincing Madara into stopping the feud?"

Tobirama nods.

"Practically everyone in Hi no Kuni knows Hashirama has been trying to persuade Madara for years; perhaps the other clans were growing nervous that you would finally succeed."

Hashirama brightens at the idea of Madara joining forces with him, of realizing their dream of a village where children are not killed in war. Toka and Tobirama sweat drop as they notice Hashirama had ignored the more worrisome aspects only to once again daydream. Tobirama looks at Toka.

"I'm going to bathe then sleep- try to get Hashirama to finish his paperwork." He orders his cousin.

Toka nods while Hashirama tenses in dawning horror; Tobi is back- Tobi makes him do paperwork. _Hashirama doesn't get to slack off anymore!_ A gloom cloud settles on Hashirama as Toka stands guard to make certain he actually does his work instead of running off. Tobirama sighs as he goes to relax; even with the mystery of Sasha simmering at the back of his mind.

_Elsewhere…_

"**So they failed.** How annoying! It would have been perfect!"

"**Don't be stupid- the Senju don't get the Curse of Hatred like the Uchiha. **But peace would have been impossible if the evidence was irrefutable, right?"

"**If there was no one to contest it- but that plan failed.** Oooh, it was that foreign woman again! The one that saved Izuna!"

"She's a strange one- first saving an Uchiha she doesn't even know, twice! Then protecting the Senju who tried to kill her! She's so confusing! **You're right. She is a problem- one that needs to be solved given her track record. Events are not going to plan."**

"Oooh, the one to drive Madara crazy, right? **Correct. But this 'Sasha Kouga' saved Izuna from both of our traps and he is… harder to influence than he used to be."**

"And that's why we ordered Tobirama killed- so the blame would pinned on Madara and break his friendship with Hashirama once and for all!** But Sasha interfered again and now the Senju are aware there is a plot against both the Uchiha and themselves. What a bothersome woman she is!"**

"We can't even track her- how can there be someone with no chakra?! I don't get it! **That's not the most troublesome part- there's a strange power surrounding her and she seems 'aware' of the world in a different way."**

"Right, that's why we didn't go near the Uchiha clan while she was there! But how will we kill her? We shouldn't do it ourselves… **Hmm… we can establish a bounty on her- she DID beat Tobirama before both the Senju and Uchiha clans."**

"Oooh, I like that idea! Everyone will be hunting her! **Exactly. And she is not part of a clan, so it will be even easier for the bounty hunters to kill her."**

"And then we can continue with our plan to revive Mother! **Yes- but we mustn't be idle while we wait for her to be hunted down."**

Malevolent chuckles answer as an ancient plotter spins his webs of deceit, betrayal and manipulation. His newest target? An unexpected influence and interloper, Sasha Kouga.

**And that's a wrap! Zetsu has made a tiny appearance but now things are in motion~! How will everyone respond, I wonder..? :P As always, the next chapter will be in the PRESENT and it will have more of a focus on Keiichi than past chapters. Please review and let me know what you thought about this chapter!**


	12. Culture Shock (Present)

**Hello again! Reminder, this chapter is set in the PRESENT! As always, I do not own Naruto or Magi, just my OCs and plot twists~! Please review or comment, it is always appreciated! Now, for your regularly scheduled dose of chaos…**

_The Present…_

Keiichi cocks his head in confusion as they stop in front of what appears to be a small sweets shop. Itachi and Kisame sit at one of the corner booths and Keiichi reluctantly sits with his back to the doorway in the last available seat. His neck prickles and he forces himself to not shift uneasily. Itachi and Kisame hide their amusement at his expense as the waitress walks over to take their orders.

"What would you like to order?" She asks politely.

"Four botchan dango and two anko dango with jasmine tea please." Itachi orders.

"Green tea for me." Kisame adds.

The waitress looks expectantly at Keiichi and he flounders.

_What the hell is 'dango'?! Wait, they serve tea, just order tea! _He thinks quickly.

"Jasmine tea please." He asks politely.

The waitress writes down his order with a smile and walks off. Keiichi turns, lifts his absurd hat and glares at Itachi and Kisame.

"What in the name of the seven seas is 'dango'?" He hisses to them.

Both missing-nin stiffen in absolute shock, openly startled (Itachi) or gaping (Kisame) at the younger Uchiha. Keiichi sweat drops at their expressions.

"What?" He snaps defensively.

Kisame breaks out of his funk first, eyeing Keiichi with wary disbelief.

"You don't know what _dango_ is?" He says incredulously.

Keiichi rolls his eyes in exasperation.

"I wouldn't have asked if I knew." He retorts in an undertone.

Itachi and Kisame exchange glances then Itachi takes control of the conversation.

"Dango are a small dumpling, usually sweet, in sets of three to five on a skewer. They come in a small assortment of flavors and colors. Some come with sauces or are coated in sauces." He explains.

Keiichi frowns as he listens intently. The waitress comes back with their tea and Keiichi thanks her absently, sipping the scalding liquid.

"So, Keiichi-kun, what kind of sweets did you grow up eating?" Kisame prods, watching him closely.

Keiichi shrugs.

"Didn't really have any, unless you count fresh fruit. Once in a while I could find a wild beehive and could get some raw honeycomb. That was always tasty but really sticky." He muses.

The missing-nin share glances of disbelief.

_Keiichi's homeland must be a terrible place to not have sweets, especially dango- or very rural in nature._ Itachi thinks and decides to correct this travesty- **immediately.**

"Would you like to try some dango? Or perhaps some other treat?" Itachi proposes to his cousin.

Keiichi perks up at Itachi's offer. Kisame laughs at his reaction and nudges Itachi.

"I guess you'll be sharing, Itachi-san." He teases his partner.

Keiichi rolls his eyes.

"If you don't mind, then yes. Although I want to try inarizushi at some point along with ramen and tempura…" He mutters, resting his chin on one fist.

Itachi narrows his eyes.

"That's an odd assortment of foods." He notes.

Keiichi rolls his eyes.

"You think?" He answers dryly.

Itachi starts to answer when the waitress returns with his dango. Keiichi stares at the sweets with interest as Itachi picks up one of the botchan skewers and eats the dango daintily. After a sip of his tea, Itachi hands over one of the botchan dango skewers. Keiichi eyes it closely and bites the first dango off the skewer. He freezes at the burst of sweetness and nearly purrs with happiness as he chews. Kisame snorts with laughter while Itachi memorizes the moment with the Sharingan.

Keiichi slowly eats the other two dango dumplings, clearly focusing on savoring every last bite of sweet dough. He's slightly mournful when he finishes the skewer but manners nearly beaten into his skull prompt his response.

"Thank you for the dango." He tells Itachi, forcing his hands to stay wrapped around his tea mug.

Kisame is shaking with laughter while Itachi nods, already on his third skewer. Keiichi glares at Kisame but he only laughs harder. Stifling a groan, Keiichi sips his tea and reminds himself sternly that stealing other's food is **bad**. Itachi, thankfully, finishes his last two skewers quickly and sips his tea. Keiichi relaxes slightly with the temptation gone.

Once all three of them finish their tea, they leave the appropriate amount of money and walk out, continuing towards Orochimaru's last location. Keiichi basks in the outdoors, happy to not be in the industrialized Amegakure as they tree-jump through the forest. His mellow mood is broken by a sly comment from Kisame.

"So, Keiichi-kun, you _really_ liked the dango huh?"

Keiichi forces himself to breathe calmly and not trap Kisame in a genjutsu- no matter how tempting it is. He nods, seeing no point in denying it.

"Definitely one of the sweetest things I've ever eaten, aside from honeycombs." He admits.

"Seriously? Where the hell did you live, the boonies?" Kisame demands.

Keiichi rolls his eyes at Kisame.

"Does my lack of experience with sweets really matter that much?" He retorts, exasperated.

Kisame raises his hands in a surrendering position, grinning toothily at him.

"It's just really strange, that's all!" He explains.

Keiichi feels his temper start to slip and forcibly restrains his impulse to fry the Kiri missing-nin.

"Kisame. Enough." Itachi interrupts calmly.

"Hai, Itachi-san." Kisame concedes.

Keiichi remains stubbornly silent until Itachi calls a rest, not in the mood to be ridiculed. A small cave serves at their campsite for the night and Keiichi goes to work creating a protective fuinjutsu barrier. Itachi adds genjutsu traps and cloaks the cave itself with an illusion. Kisame pulls out rations to share between the three of them. Keiichi accepts his silently and retreats to a far corner of the cave, biting the ration bar hesitantly.

He pales at the atrocious taste and nearly spits it out. Kisame sees his expression and roars with laughter. Itachi raises his eyebrows questioningly at Keiichi, who clearly is struggling with two very different impulses; spitting out the horrible food versus forcing himself not to waste said 'food'. In the end, Keiichi makes himself finish the ration bar and washes the taste out by drinking water.

"… That was supposed to be **food?"** Keiichi groans.

Kisame and Itachi nod, not bothering to hide their amusement at his expense. Keiichi huffs, unsealing his sleeping roll.

"Even onee-san's cooking is better than that and she's a goddamn disaster in a kitchen." Keiichi grumbles.

"Onee-san?" Kisame questions- this was the first time Keiichi mentioned anyone at all to his knowledge.

Keiichi rolls his eyes.

"We're not related but I grew up with her, so 'onee-san' she became. She never had a problem being called that- actually, I think it made her happy. But yeah, awful cook so I usually ended up doing it instead if I wanted to eat anything marginally edible." He explains idly.

"Seriously?" Kisame raises his eyebrows at him.

Keiichi deadpans.

"She set a pot of water on fire."

There is a very pregnant pause as the missing-nin process that particular snippet of information. Itachi breaks the silence.

"Let's go over the mission." He suggests.

Keiichi nods while Kisame grins, leaning against the wall.

"Our target is Orochimaru, one of the Sannin. He has a summoning contract with serpents, along with significant body modifications that allow his limbs, neck and torso to lengthen and contort similar to a snake. Orochimaru is proficient in all five types of elemental ninjutsu along with genjutsu, kenjutsu, kinjutsu and basic weapons. His MO is using Killer Intent to paralyze opponents before striking. He is a sadist and brands others with 'curse marks' that enhance the target physically but decimate their mental faculties. He's a skilled manipulator that inspires fanatical levels of loyalty. Orochimaru is after the Sharingan, Keiichi, so please refrain from activating it in his presence."

Keiichi listens intently, his mind going over possibilities.

"Do you know if he has any skill with seals?" He inquires.

Itachi nods, onyx eyes curious.

"He has some knowledge but is not a Fuinjutsu Master."

Keiichi nods thoughtfully.

"If he's already at a new base, I could set up a barrier to contain him or place a tracking seal on Orochimaru if he leaves so we can find him again. Other options are setting fuinjutsu traps or giving you seals that actively shut down the target's chakra network. I'm guessing you would rather I stay out of the fight then?" He asks calmly.

Kisame and Itachi nod.

"You're our medic, so that would be preferred." Itachi confirms.

"Yeah, it'd be bad if you got hurt and couldn't patch us up." Kisame adds.

Keiichi rolls his eyes.

"Why do I feel like you're the one most likely to be injured, Kisame-san?" Keiichi retorts.

Kisame pouts at him.

"Oi!" He protests.

Keiichi smirks at him.

"Oh look, you're not denying it..." He teases.

"Enough. Kisame, you have first watch. I'll take second watch and Keiichi has third. Get some rest." Itachi orders, ending the argument.

Keiichi rolls his eyes then pointedly stares at Itachi.

"I would, but I need to give you a check-up first." Keiichi reminds him.

Itachi barely suppresses a sigh but nods, choosing to not argue with his snarky cousin. It hadn't worked the first time or any of the other times Itachi tried to assure him he didn't need a check-up. Once when Itachi tried to skip an appointment Keiichi found him with a tracking seal (which he still hadn't managed to remove), trapped him in his borg and dragged Itachi to his workroom. Itachi reluctantly stopped avoiding Keiichi when Pain ordered him to actually show up to his check-ups.

Keiichi shifts to make room on his bed roll and Itachi settles next to him in a seiza. Kisame watches curiously as Keiichi's hands glow green and he slowly inspects Itachi's internal organs. It takes the better part of ten minutes of Keiichi painstakingly scanning to confirm Itachi's illness had not reappeared and strengthening Itachi's organs. Then he frames Itachi's eyes with his hands and goes to work soothing the inflammation and degradation of Itachi's optic nerves. Itachi relaxes slightly as the pain fades to nothing and opens his eyes when Keiichi removes his hands.

"All clear, try to not have your Sharingan activated all the time aa? Keep taking your vitamins, your immune system still needs the boost." Keiichi lectures him.

Itachi nods and leans against the cave wall, content to sleep upright. Keiichi flops onto his sleeping mat, seemingly asleep in seconds. Kisame glances at Itachi.

"So if you see your little brother, what're you going to do?" Kisame asks.

Itachi opens his eyes to look at his partner.

"Test him, most likely, if it doesn't get in the way of the mission." Itachi answers calmly.

"And Keiichi-kun? Does he know yet?" Kisame presses him.

Itachi glances at his clan brother and shakes his head.

"No. Nothing beyond our clan was massacred and is all but extinct." He admits quietly.

"… You might want to tell him something, otherwise he might do something stupid when he hears." Kisame points out.

Itachi closes his eyes, subtly ending the conversation. Silently he reflects on his interactions with his younger cousin. It had been… nice. Certainly Keiichi doesn't have the same features as the rest of their clan, but his chakra is a familiar inferno that is soothing in its familiarity. Keiichi's acidic temper and sarcasm are preferable to the hate and disgust he endures from Sasuke. Even his incessant nagging is somewhat endearing, since no one other than Kisame actually tries to take care of Itachi.

And Itachi loathes to break the fragile comradery, and sense of normalcy, Keiichi has brought him. But duty, and the mission, must always come first.

_In Tsunade's office…_

Kakashi ambles up the stairs and knocks on Tsunade's door, two hours late for a meeting she had told him with no uncertain terms to show up for. Shizune yanks the door open, frazzled and stares at him in disappointment.

"HATAKE!" Tsunade roars from beyond Shizune.

Kakashi eye smiles, closing his beloved Icha Icha as he walks past Shizune.

"Maa, I saw a-"

"Cut the bullshit, Hatake! I wanted you here **two hours ago** for a debriefing!" Tsunade snaps, her rage showing.

Jiraiya waves at Kakashi, making the jonin markedly more alert.

_Why is Jiraiya-sama here as well?_ Kakashi wonders.

Shizune closes and locks the door, then Tsunade activates the privacy seals in the office to prevent eavesdropping. Both men stiffen in surprise as Tsunade glares at them.

"Jiraiya, Kakashi Hatake. What we will be discussing will not be spoken of outside this office, am I clear? This information is S-rank, if not higher."

They nod, intrigued and worried. Tsunade folds her hands and rests her chin atop them before continuing.

"Samar Kouga and her sister Xia are half Uchiha. Your team, Hatake, saw Xia manifest the Mangekyo when she wiped the floor with Sasuke and they all confirmed Samar also has a fully developed Sharingan." She tells them shortly.

Kakashi's brain short circuits. Jiraiya gapes at Tsunade in open shock.

"You're not serious?" Jiraiya demands.

Tsunade levels a flat expression at him.

"I saw it for myself, Jiraiya. Their eyes were the real deal. As you might imagine, I would rather keep this under wraps for as long as feasibly possible." She continues.

"Wait, where did they come from? The Uchiha clan didn't have any offshoots or clan branches in the Elemental nations. They were incredibly strict about keeping the Sharingan within the clan." Kakashi interrupts.

Tsunade sighs and gives them a tired look.

"… Yes they do, contrary to popular belief. But you are right that they aren't in the Elemental nations, Hatake. Suffice to say the 'where' is not accessible under ordinary circumstances." She tells him.

Jiraiya frowns at Tsunade, folding his arms.

"Tsunade, what aren't you telling us?"

"…" She sits back and pours herself a cup of tea.

"Have either of you ever heard of the Sensō no megami?" Tsunade asks.

Both men frown and shake their heads. Tsunade wishes for sake as she sips her tea before beginning the story.

"I'm not surprised you haven't- she's considered a myth… Anyways. She was a mercenary who appeared one day in the middle of a battle between the Senju and Uchiha, protecting Izuna Uchiha, Madara Uchiha's otouto. My great-uncle Tobirama was handed his ass at her hands and the story goes after that incident she traveled and met all nine Biju. Supposedly they all had fragments to a mirror that was her ticket back home, according Tobirama-oji-san. She collected them all and fixed the mirror, but fell in love with Madara. So instead of returning to her homeland, she married him and became Co-head of the Uchiha clan. She was one of the driving forces behind the peace treaty between the Senju and Uchiha before she married Madara."

Tsunade sips from her cup of tea before resuming her story.

"Konoha was founded and everything was going well- until the day she, Izuna Uchiha and Natsuko Uzumaki, my grandmother's niece, died in an explosion that was later confirmed as an assassination from Iwa. All that was found of them were three mirror shards and a scrap of paper with what might have been a seal. Madara went insane when both his wife and only brother died. You know the rest." She says quietly.

Kakashi stiffens, a memory from the bell-test coming to mind.

"_Ne, why did you say 'Izuna-oji-san' when you saw the genjutsu of Sasuke?" Naruto presses._

_Samar laughs awkwardly._

"_Ah, well, he looks very similar to my uncle if you change his hair and age." She explains as they reach their starting point._

His eye widens as the pieces click together to form a picture.

"You think the Sensō no megami survived, along with Izuna Uchiha and possibly Natsuko Uzumaki." He states.

Tsunade sighs gustily.

"Yes. And Samar and Xia's father is Madara Uchiha." She drops the bombshell bluntly.

Both shinobi stiffen at the implications.

"… Well shit, Tsunade. That's- hell. If they're anything like him-" Jiraiya starts to say but Tsunade slams her hands on her desk.

"I'm not going to cast accusations at them based on their parentage, Jiraiya! If anything, we should be damn happy to have two Sharingan users who **aren't** missing-nin!" She snaps.

"Maa, maa. I doubt Samar-chan would turn against Konoha and if Xia-chan is anything like her sister, then they'll both stay loyal." Kakashi interjects.

Jiraiya grumbles while Tsunade sits back in her chair, still glowering. Shizune hugs Tonton, unsure of what to do. Kakashi sighs and looks to Tsunade.

"Hokage-sama, what are your orders?" He asks, for once perfectly serious.

"Kakashi, keep an eye on them. Assess their abilities, strengths and weaknesses- I doubt either of them have showed all their skills yet… Learn what you can and keep the Elders from approaching them." Tsunade orders.

"What about me~?" Jiraiya complains.

Tsunade sends him a dour glare.

"_You_ are going to see if you can track down their older brother, Keiichi. He also has the Sharingan, according to Samar and Xia. Samar is going to henge into him for you so you can identify him. There's also a library's worth of information Xia stole from Orochimaru and she managed to seal a Curse Mark into a scroll for us to study."

Jiraiya's jaw drops- Kakashi is not far behind him.

"_**WHAT?!"**_ Jiraiya squawks.

"You heard me, Jiraiya! You have about fifty sealing scrolls to sort through and that damn Curse Mark to investigate so I suggest getting started! Dismissed!" Tsunade barks, clearly done with the conversation.

The two shinobi are stagger out of the office and stand there in a daze for a moment. Then Jiraiya groans, rubbing his head.

"What's the world coming to?" He mumbles.

Kakashi can only agree wholeheartedly with his sentiment.

_In Konoha's Hospital…_

Xia is wary as she sits in a plain white room with neatened supplies and bland surfaces. The room, the nurses, the hospital itself was setting her nerves on edge. Her eyes flicker over the room again and she tries to distract herself by feeling everyone in her small sensing range. Several harassed nurses rush past her room while next door there is two people- a mother and child by the feel. Xia breathes out slowly as she strains to feel beyond the two adjacent rooms.

A bright, _familiar_ presence distracts her and Xia opens her eyes as Sakura enters the examination room. She is dressed in a white coat and has her hair scraped back in a short ponytail; a nice practical look for the medic-nin, in Xia's opinion. Sakura smiles warmly at her and sets her clipboard aside.

"Good morning, Xia-san!"

Xia's mouth curves into a smirk as she watches the other kunoichi sanitize her hands, resting her cheek on one fist.

"Morning." She drawls.

Sakura gives her a quizzical look as she walks closer. Xia sits up slowly, continuing to observe Sakura as she strides up to the table. Sakura schools her expression to be more serious as she meets Xia's gaze.

"Alright, we're going to do a full physical along with blood work to make sure that Orochimaru didn't leave anything unsavory inside you. I will also be checking your eyes, Xia-san." Sakura informs her.

"By all means." Xia acquiesces lazily.

Sakura smiles and her hands light up with green chakra. She spends several minutes scanning Xia's body from the inside out, frowning as she notes sites where Orochimaru had removed tissue, bone and skin. Xia stays still, keeping her chakra and magoi tightly under control so as to not interfere with Sakura's medical chakra. Sakura pauses and steps back, frowning at what she had found scanning Xia's abdominal cavity.

_Her organs… they all have scarring and signs that someone has taken samples from all of them! But that would mean-!_

"Sakura?" Xia interrupts her whirling thoughts, staring at her intensely.

Sakura visibly starts and berates herself silently for letting her attention drift. She clears her throat awkwardly.

"Ah, Xia-san, please remove your shirt." Sakura orders.

Xia's eyebrows shoot up with surprise and then her smirk widens at Sakura's command.

"Aa? I hadn't taken you to be so forward, Sa~ku~ra-chan~!" Xia teases her, onyx eyes glinting.

"We haven't even had our first date yet!" She mock gasps.

Sakura's face flushes as she realizes exactly how her request sounded.

"Xia-san! I'm a doctor!" Sakura snaps.

"Oh _really?_ But you're so fierce and pretty~!_"_ Xia sings.

"XIA! Control yourself!" Sakura barks angrily.

"But Sakura-chan I don't want to~!" Xia protests with a pout, inwardly smirking.

"No buts! Now, if you would, please remove your shirt!" Sakura demands, her hands on her hips.

"Hmm, well, I suppose… Since you asked so nicely." Xia drawls.

Sakura glares at her. Xia hides a grin, stands leisurely before tugging off her t-shirt and reveals her torso with her chest bindings. Emerald eyes widen when Sakura sees the scar from her vivisection and puts together what must have happened to Xia. Absently she notes surgical scars on Xia's right forearm and left upper arm but mostly Sakura is stunned.

Xia picks up her mood and her smirk vanishes, her expression becoming still and difficult to read. With an effort, Sakura masters herself and inspects the scars. They remain silent for a long time as Sakura writes down the information and probes with her chakra. Sakura glances awkwardly at Xia and blurts out a question.

"Do you remember when-?" She cuts herself off, unable to finish her question

Xia stays silent for a long moment before nodding once.

"They didn't knock me out or use pain killers. It was a 'punishment' for trying to escape." She answers bluntly.

Sakura bites her lip in distress. Xia lets out a long sigh.

"I'm not made of glass, Sakura. Asking questions about it won't break me." She tells her.

Sakura blinks then her face changes to show understanding. She nods firmly.

"Did they do anything to your eyes?" Sakura asks.

Xia frowns, humming thoughtfully.

"Not that I'm aware of. They would sometimes stick a glass and metal thing filled with a drug to knock me out, so I have no clue what they did while I was unconscious."

"A syringe?" Sakura prompts, finding one and showing it to Xia.

Xia glares at it distrustfully, nodding.

"Yes. You're not going to pump me full of drugs, are you?"

"Don't be silly, Xia-san." Sakura scolds her.

"That wasn't a no." Xia points out.

Sakura rolls her eyes.

"I don't need to sedate you, Xia-san. Now,"

Sakura holds up her hands, glowing with medical chakra once more.

"I'm going to examine your eyes." She explains, carefully framing Xia's eyes with her hands.

"Hn." Xia grunts, closing her eyelids.

Sakura's mouth twitches into a tiny smile at Xia's Uchiha mannerisms as she carefully examines Xia's eyes and chakra pathways. Internally she notes how Xia's channels are different from Kakashi's, wondering how she could use this to improve his condition. Eventually Sakura pulls her hands away, relieved to find nothing odd with Xia's eyes or brain.

"It appears he did not operate on your skull at all." Sakura informs her.

Xia opens her eyes, cocking an eyebrow.

"I'm shocked- but I suppose Snake Bitch was taking his time." She reflects.

Sakura sweat drops.

"Why do you call Orochimaru that..?"

"Because it suits a piece of human waste like him." Xia says nonchalantly, as if she weren't insulting one of the Sannin.

Sakura shakes her head, sighing loudly as she writes more notes on her clipboard. Then she picks up an empty syringe and moves closer to Xia. The other kunoichi stiffens, her attention eerily locked on the medical instrument. Sakura pauses, staying still.

"Xia-san?" She asks carefully.

"…" Xia remains silent, staring at the syringe.

"Xia-san? Are you alright?"

"… Do you have to use that?" Xia redirects.

Sakura purses her lips.

"I'm supposed to take a blood sample and a syringe is the most hygienic method while also minimizing the harm done to you." Sakura explains.

Xia's jaw clenches as she continues to stare at it. Finally she holds out her arm to Sakura.

"Get it over with." She grits out.

Sakura is startled but her intuition whispers to her to not comment and complete this part of the exam as fast as possible. She expertly inserts the needle and the vial fills with blood quickly. Sakura doesn't miss how Xia relaxes slightly when the syringe is removed from her body.

"Alright Xia-san, you are free to go! Please make certain to eat healthily since you are a bit undernourished and drink lots of fluids." Sakura instructs her.

Xia tilts her head at Sakura and smirks.

"Xia."

Sakura blinks in surprise.

"Eh?"

"You can call me Xia. You saved my imouto's life so I don't see the point of standing on ceremony between the two of us." Xia says seriously.

Sakura flushes and nods.

"A-Alright… Xia." Her cheeks burn a brighter red.

Xia smiles at her and saunters closer to Sakura as she shrugs on her top.

"Much better… and I'll be waiting for that date, Sa~ku~ra." She purrs into Sakura's ear.

Sakura yelps, face as red as a cherry and Xia laughs as she shunshins out of the oppressive hospital room. Only to suddenly pop her head back through the door.

"By the way Sakura, where is 'T and I'?" Xia asks.

Sakura glares at her, nearly growling as she gives clipped directions to the head of intelligence and interrogation. Xia winks at her before leaving for good. Sakura pouts at the closed door, still flushed.

"She has no shame!" Sakura mutters as she gathers her notes and Xia's blood sample for the lab.

…

Xia stares at the unassuming building and rolls her eyes as she knocks on the door. An unassuming shinobi let's her in, seemingly already aware of who she is. Xia stays alert as the shinobi leads her deeper into the building until they reach a closed office door. The shinobi knocks politely and waits.

"Come in!" A pleasant man's voice answers and Xia is ushered inside.

An older gentleman about her mom's age with long blond hair and pale blue eyes stands up, greeting her with a warm smile.

"Ah, you must be Kouga-san! My name is Inoichi Yamanaka and I will be the one performing your mind walk today. If you would sit down..?" He offers one of the chairs before his desk.

Xia raises her eyebrow at him as the shinobi leaves the room and shuts the door behind him.

"Forgive me, but I am unfamiliar with the term 'mind walk': what does a mind walk entail exactly, Yamanaka-san?"

Inoichi blinks in surprise.

"You don't know..?" He inquires.

Xia shakes her head once.

"I am from a very distant country, Yamanaka-san. I ask for your patience with my ignorance." She says formally.

Inoichi nods with an understanding smile.

"I will essentially being using a clan jutsu of mine to enter your mind and review your memories, specifically your time with Orochimaru."

Xia is silent for a long moment as she processes the information, onyx eyes unfathomable.

"And that is the extent of your 'mind walk'?" She asks.

Inoichi nods and waits for Xia to make her decision; he already has noted her subtle readiness to fight and wariness of being around strangers. He sympathizes with her uneasiness, especially after being held unwillingly by Orochimaru. After a long pause, Xia finally sits down and stares at him impassively.

"Let's get this over with." Xia states wearily.

Inoichi smiles sadly and forms the necessary hand signs; then his body slumps and Xia's jolts as his spirit enters her mind…

_Inoichi finds himself in an airy hallway lined with doors of a honey-colored wood; they all are carved with stylized images. Beside him is Xia (or the mental projection of her), dressed in lightweight emerald clothing better suited for a desert climate. She folds her arms and raises an eyebrow at Inoichi._

"This way." _She tells him, leading him to the end of the hallway where her most recent memories reside._

_She stops before a door depicting what appears to be a broken mirror and serpents slithering around it. Inoichi wants to examine the door more closely (he had never seen a mindscape like this before) but instead enters the memory._

_Inoichi finds himself in an underground room with a balcony facing what appears a vast valley. Brightly colored rugs with foreign patterns decorate the room along with a low table and several cushions. Samar and a young man about Xia and Samar's age (Keiichi-nii, her mind whispers) are waiting for her dressed in a similar style to Xia._

{"You realize that this is a **bad** idea, right?"} _Samar points out._

_Inoichi is startled by the unfamiliar language Samar uses but Xia understands it easily and thus Inoichi understands it as well. Mentally he notes to remember as many words as possible to share with Shikaku- the possibility of a cipher written in a different language only a few understand is __**very**__ tempting._

_Memory Xia rolls her eyes as Inoichi looks on._

{"Not _my _fault if Mom doesn't keep it locked away properly!"} _She retorts in the same tongue as she lays a partially broken mirror on the table._

_Inoichi's curiosity is perked by the object- he can sense it is very important to Xia and all three triplets seem to share the sentiment._

{"Will you two pipe down? The last thing we need is Mom finding us with her **mirror**."} _Keiichi cuts them off, glowering._

_Xia represses a shudder at their mother's reaction to their theft- Ilona would have them babysitting their six youngest cousins as punishment for months! Inoichi suppresses a snort at that, briefly seeing memories of her younger redhead cousins causing mayhem._

_Both sisters glare at him but listen, watching avidly as Keiichi examines it: all of them had heard the story of how Sinbad had destroyed the mirror and sent their mother flying into another world. Inoichi blinks at the simmering anger at this 'Sinbad' person- an image of a handsome man with long purple hair and gold eyes in foreign clothes comes to the fore along with a healthy dose of wariness. He almost misses the subtle way Xia neatly distracts him from her mother's misadventures- another world, really? Inoichi shakes his head in amazement and continues to watch them examine the mirror._

_A simplistic design, the round mirror is the size of a coconut (an image of a giant nut slightly smaller than a human head pops into Inoichi's mind) with a beaten gold frame. The reflective glass is oddly dark, not showing reflections of anything in the room and spider webbed with cracks. In the very center of the frame is an empty space for three shards to fit neatly, completing it. _

_Xia can feel the Rukh buzzing around it and the faintest pulse of… something else. Inoichi is surprised by the lack of chakra Xia senses- in fact, only her siblings and herself seem to have any. And the sensation of Rukh-! Inoichi is stunned to say the least that all three triplets are adept at sensing what amounts to the life force in others. Keiichi frowns, stretching his senses then his eyes widen in surprise. _

{"There's chakra coming from the empty space in the mirror."}

_Samar gasps while Xia tilts her head, frowning in confusion._

{"Wow, that's weird! Wait! Do you think it's chakra from _there?!_"} _Xia asks excitedly._

_Keiichi purses his lips, considering it._

{"It's **possible**\- but why wouldn't Izuna-oji notice it? He should have picked up on it _years_ ago."} _He points out._

_Inoichi sees a brief image of a man with a striking resemblance to Sasuke, older with a long ponytail and a happy grin teaching Xia and her siblings to fight with a sword…_

{"… Izuna-oji-san isn't a sensor type- he said that himself."} _Samar interjects slowly, thinking it through._

{"You, Keiichi, are a sensor type in addition to being a magician- you can sense chakra and Rukh to a degree even Xia and I cannot match."}

_Inoichi frowns at the unfamiliar term 'magician'- Xia is surprisingly unwilling to expand on the subject beyond Keiichi has greater skill at manipulating Rukh. The Yamanaka reluctantly allows the topic to drop, knowing Xia would only dig in harder if he presses her for answers._

_Memory Xia nods, folding her arms._

{"That makes sense- so, what do we do about it?"} _She questions, pointing at the mirror._

{"…"} _All three frown, considering it._

{"… What if we put chakra into it?"} _Samar eventually offers._

_Xia and Keiichi raise their eyebrows at her. She blushes before making herself go on._

{"It might resonate and maybe- maybe it can take us to Otou-san."}

_Keiichi and Xia exchange glances then look at Samar. Xia speaks first._

{"… It's worth a shot. I know _we _never knew him, but Mom and Izuna-oji both miss him. So I say aye."}

_Samar brightens and mouths 'thank you' to her sister, to which Xia smirks then they both look at Keiichi, waiting for his vote. He frowns, glaring at the mirror as if it will give up all its' secrets if he tries hard enough. Finally he meets their eager eyes and groans, rubbing his head in exasperation._

{"Fine- but if I say bail, we bail, understood?"}

_Xia and Samar nod while Keiichi clearly is wary of messing with a magical artifact. Inoichi can only watch carefully, silently sympathizing with Xia's older brother._

{"Touch the mirror and when I say so, channel a small part of your chakra into the empty space."} _He instructs them._

_Samar and Xia reach out, touching the mirror's surface with their index fingers- Keiichi follows suit and holds his free hand in the sign of confrontation. The other two mimic him and he breathes out, steadying himself before nodding._

{"Begin."} _Keiichi says._

_Xia focuses her chakra- scorching, hot, restless- into the mirror and feels something _grab _onto it. The world bursts into golden light and Xia feels herself falling, tugged every which way until a sudden explosion of smoke and the solid feeling of stone beneath her. Xia opens her eyes, futilely trying to find her siblings with her chakra and instead finding herself in an underground space. She doesn't have time to marvel the abundance of chakra in her surroundings, though she wants to._

{"What the-?! Where am I? A cave? This isn't home, is it? Fuck."} _Xia growls before spotting two unfamiliar figures._

_Sasuke and Orochimaru stare at her, wide-eyed. Xia instantly is on guard, distrustful of their malevolent chakra and draws her sword._

{"Identify yourselves!"} _She barks._

_Orochimaru licks his lips and tries to trap her in a genjutsu, which she breaks and swiftly retaliates with a doton technique before racing through the underground base. As she escapes, Xia follows the scent of fresh air mixed with leaves as she dodges Sasuke's various attempts to apprehend her. Inoichi is surprised by her ease at evading and outrunning the rogue Uchiha. Xia bursts outside and really starts to run, her speed rivaling Guy's, until she finds a nice clearing._

_Nodding, Xia settles in to wait for her pursuer- she isn't disappointed when Sasuke shunshins into the clearing. He pauses in surprise when he sees she is waiting for him, sword in hand. Her dark eyes meet his and she cocks her head as she examines him, noting he is passable in terms of physical fitness and weaponry._

{"Finally caught up, Duckbutt? Good- let's get this shit show over with."} _She smirks, easing into a stance. Inoichi can only laugh at her nickname 'Duckbutt' for the arrogant Uchiha._

_Sasuke narrows his eyes and activates his Sharingan, aiming to ensnare her in a genjutsu. Xia's own eyes widen when she realizes what he must be and with an abrupt laugh activates her own. Sasuke freezes, unable to believe what he is seeing. Matching crimson eyes with three tomoe spinning idly staring back at him. Xia sighs and relaxes her stance with a wry smirk._

"Well, who knew? Nice to meet you, cousin." _She tells him in Fire, startling him._

_Inoichi is no less stunned than Sasuke, his mind whirling in disbelief. But he forces aside his initial feelings and examines the memory with a laser focus. _

"W-what? Who-?" _Sasuke stammers, clearly shaken._

"Xia. You?" _She interrupts, tilting her head._

_With a visible effort, Sasuke masters himself._

"Sasuke Uchiha. How do you have the Sharingan?" _He demands, eyes still spinning._

_Xia shrugs._

"Dad's an Uchiha- so is oji-san. Now, as much as I would like to stay and chat, I've got to scat before your creepy sensei catches up. Maybe we'll see each other again one day!" _She waves before shunshinning out of the clearing._

_Inoichi watches as Xia escapes Sasuke with a clever use of shadow clones, reaching the Valley of the End before Sasuke reappears in his transformed state. Memory Xia is horrified by the corrosive hatred practically oozing from Sasuke, ready for battle until he reverts to his human form. Xia glares at Sasuke and then things grow __**strange**__. Another voice rumbles through Xia's mind and she responds to it with familiarity._

_Inoichi is worried at first that Xia is crazy but she shows no other signs of instability mentally speaking, so he pauses the memory and observes it more closely. The voice is male and speaks in Xia's native tongue, refers to her as 'my king' and prods her to use her common sense in dealing with the emotionally stunted Sasuke. Any other information he tries to glean outside the current memory is blocked. Giving up (for the time being) Inoichi continues to watch the memory._

_When Xia and Sasuke start exchanging answers and questions Inoichi is impressed by Xia's ability to tell the absolute bare minimum- she confirms there are others but not how many or where they are. Sasuke is annoyed judging by his expression and Inoichi wonders if they can use his hyper fixation on Xia to entice Sasuke to return. But his musings are interrupted by the depths of her despair when she hears how long it had been since Konohagakure had been founded._

_Inoichi has a hunch but he knows he will have to check records for the Uchiha clan and perhaps the village roster from the village founding to verify it. Meanwhile, he can only feel a spark of anger and regret as Sasuke poisons Xia and drags her back to Orochimaru. The next bit makes the Yamanaka sick to his stomach as he watches Orochimaru and Kabuto cut into Xia repeatedly then send her to fight against his other experiments. She wins. She always wins and makes the kills as fast as possible- the only mercy she can offer._

_During one of her gladiator matches (a phrase Inoichi learned from Xia) she sees her chance, even with chakra suppressing shackles. She catapults herself out of the arena with pure speed and rushes for the exit only to be recaptured by a giant snake swallowing her whole. Inoichi grimaces when Xia is spat out and promptly attacks Orochimaru, Kabuto and Sasuke. _

_Orochimaru punishes her with a vivisection without painkillers and it's then that Sasuke __**finally **__seems to connect what is happening to Xia. Inoichi notes Sasuke is insecure and clearly wants to make an emotional connection with Xia but doesn't know how to do so in a healthy manner. Xia is furious with Sasuke and doesn't hesitate to let him know it, leading to Orochimaru giving her a Curse Mark. Inoichi is stunned by shear amount of agony Xia experiences before she utilizes her magoi to suppress Orochimaru's parasitic chakra._

_She waits for her chance and after rejecting Sasuke's plea for her to give in breaks free from her cell. Inoichi watches intently as Xia calls on a spirit she calls 'Sekhmet' and literally tears the Curse Mark from her flesh only to seal it away. The rest is a blur as she sabotages the base, enacts rescues and runs into Naruto. Xia is on her way outside when she witnesses Samar being stabbed by Sasuke._

_The image is frozen in perfect detail, something Inoichi associates with the Sharingan, and he can clearly see Sasuke's shock and horror when Xia screams for Samar. Xia's eyes burn and mutate into Mangekyo Sharingan and she attacks without mercy, __**toying**__ with Sasuke as he tries to keep up. Her rage is immense and it only subsides when Samar calls for her, barely stopping Xia from killing Sasuke. The rest of the memory is as Team Kakashi had described it._

_Inoichi sighs and releases the jutsu._

Xia groans and opens her eyes while Inoichi winces at the strain of staying in her mind for so long. He gives her a wane smile.

"Thank you for your cooperation, Kouga-san. You may go now." He tells her.

Xia nods and stands, hand on the door knob before she hesitates.

"… Yamanaka-san, please be careful of what questions you ask. Not everyone is trustworthy." She finally says before bowing and leaving.

Inoichi sighs and lays his head on his desk for a moment before going to verbally report to Tsunade: there is no way he can risk writing **this **interrogation down.

_Elsewhere in Konoha…_

"Samar-chan! What're you doing, dattebayo?" Naruto asks, squinting as Samar fills a basket with more food and spices.

"What do you think I am doing, Naruto-kun?" Samar teases as she walks to the checkout.

"Shopping… but why're you shopping when we're gonna eat ramen when Xia gets back dattebayo?" Naruto wonders.

Samar laughs softly as she pays for her food.

"Well, Xia-nee and I are going to cook food for Team Kakashi tonight, so I'm stocking up now." She explains.

Naruto blinks and his blue eyes widen in surprise.

"Cook? For us?" He gapes.

Samar nods, her smile changing to a frown when she sees Naruto's expression is dazed.

"Naruto-kun?" She asks, touching his arm.

He starts and beams a bright smile at her. Samar can't help but feel it is slightly off.

"Thanks Samar-chan! I can't wait to see what you cook! Oh! And we can introduce Kakashi-sensei to Xia!" He chatters.

"Aa, I have a feeling either they will like or hate each other. Make sure to be there by six, ne? Food is best when it's hot and shared with friends." Samar tells him.

Naruto flinches slightly and Samar has an uneasy suspicion growing in her stomach.

'Is he not used to others caring about him?'

'_Perhaps, my king.'_

'That stops now- even if I have to set Xia-nee on him to get my point across.' Samar decides.

'_My king, you don't have to go that far!'_

"Naruto-kun, do you want to come with me while I put away groceries and then go to tell the rest of Team Kakashi?" Samar offers, ignoring her djinn's protests.

Naruto nods, brightening at the invitation. Samar smiles warmly at him and leads him to her apartment, undoing the seals and beckons Naruto inside as she puts the groceries away. He looks around, surprised by the warm colors Samar had decorated with and the intricate seals she had drawn around the windows and doors.

"Ne, ne, Samar-chan! What're these ink squiggles?" Naruto asks, frowning at them.

Samar stills in shock, violet eyes widening.

"What are-? Naruto-kun, you're an Uzumaki!" She gapes.

Naruto blinks in confusion and tilts his head at her.

"Uh, yeah, but what does that have to do with the ink squiggles?"

Samar makes a whining sound as her worst fear is confirmed- and Xia opens their apartment door. Xia blinks as she takes in the scene of a confused Naruto and shell-shocked Samar.

"… Okay, what happened?" She demands, folding her arms.

"Samar isn't telling me what these ink squiggles are!" Naruto pouts.

Xia quirks her eyebrow as she shuts the door.

"Those are seals, Blondie. Haven't you ever seen privacy or protection seals before?" She asks, settling on the couch.

Naruto shakes his head, interest growing.

"Nope, but aren't seals super complicated?" He asks.

Xia snorts and Samar sighs.

"Depends on who you're asking. A regular person presented an A-class fuinjutsu formula would take ages to master it, if at all, and would probably be traumatized for life. An Uzumaki? They just devour that shit up and wonder why it wasn't harder, then modifies it to be more difficult and activates it to see if it explodes." Xia explains.

"Uzumaki-? What're you talking about, dattebayo?" Naruto comments, tilting his head.

Xia gives him a disbelieving stare.

"How the hell do you not know about your own clan? The Uzumaki are fuinjutsu masters, Blondie- they came from their own village in Uzushio, which was the basis for Konohagakure's own design, and are one of Konoha's oldest allies dating back to the _founding_. They even have their own Kekkei Genkai, though only the ladies seem to inherit it."

Naruto's jaw drops and Xia sweat drops as tears start to form in his blue eyes.

"What? Blondie, why're you looking at me like I gave you the answer to one of life's great mysteries?" Xia asks, edging away from the overflow of emotion.

"But-! But, but, you know about Uzumakis Xia-chan! I didn't know any of this stuff, dattebayo! How do you know all this anyways?!" He cries.

"We grew up with one of your kinswoman- her name is Natsuko Uzumaki." Samar explains, bringing over cups of chai tea for Naruto and Xia.

Naruto's head whips around to look at her as he numbly settles on the couch next to Xia.

"Really?! What's she like?!" He demands eagerly.

Samar smiles as she passes out the tea.

"Outgoing, impulsive, picky, clever, stubborn, funny, warm, protective, lucky-"

"That's an understatement." Xia mutters.

"Affectionate, foot loose, devoted and incredibly ballsy." Samar finishes with a mild glare at her sister.

Xia smirks at her.

"Oh? You actually swore!" She cackles.

"You try finding another adjective that suitably describes Natsuko-onee's complete disregard for status, culture, rules or social conventions and _still_ not caring even when it gets her into trouble **without** being arrogant."

"… Fair." Xia allows.

Naruto listens intently as they describe someone who, according to the sisters, is his kinswoman. He pushes down a wave of apprehension and questions burst out of his mouth before he can stop them.

"What does she look like, dattebayo? How old is she? Does she like pranks or ramen? What's her favorite color?"

Samar smiles at him while Xia grins.

"Let's see, Natsuko-onee was born in late summer, so she should be twenty-six. She adores pranks and ramen, along with gambling, sailing, exploring and fuinjutsu experiments. Her favorite colors are copper and sea-green. And her verbal tick is 'dattenabe'." Xia tells him as she sips her chai tea.

Naruto frowns at the gambling comment, which Samar notices.

"Don't worry, she doesn't lose money when gambling. Her luck is unbelievable and one of her nicknames is 'Queen of Gamblers' since she wins so often." She sooths him.

"But what does she look like dattebayo?!" Naruto grumbles in frustration.

Samar stands and henges; Naruto squints through the smoke and drinks in Samar's altered features. A woman in her mid-twenties smiles at him, emerald eyes twinkling in a rounded face as she pushes blood-red hair over her shoulder. It is long and straight, falling just past her hips in a high ponytail. Naruto gapes at Samar while Xia conceals a worried frown.

"Have you seriously never met another Uzumaki before?" Xia asks him.

Naruto shakes his head as Samar dismisses the henge and settles on the couch again on Naruto's other side.

"No." He mumbles, looking into the cup of tea.

The sisters share glances over his head and Xia ruffles his hair, startling him.

"Ne, you want to learn seals? We can at least teach you the basics, Blondie, since Natsuko-onee practically beat them into our skulls." She offers, onyx eyes meeting blue.

Naruto bites his lip and nods, feeling shy. Xia gives him an understanding grin and tugs him into a side hug. Samar pets his hair soothingly, intuitively understanding Naruto needs the reassurance and comfort- they **had** sprung an unintentional surprise on him after all. After a few minutes, Naruto starts to squirm and they let him go. He gets to his feet and grins at them.

"Come on, we have to go eat ramen then tell the other's about the team dinner dattebayo!" Naruto cheers.

Xia laughs as she stands up and Samar follows with a soft chuckle, grabbing her wallet and keys as Naruto drags them to Ichiraku's.

_Elsewhere…_

Keiichi pauses, cocking his head when multiple chakra signatures ping his sensory range. Kisame and Itachi notice and give him confused stares. Keiichi refocuses on them.

"Twenty-seven chakra signatures northeast of our current positon, forty clicks." He tells them.

Itachi blinks slowly while Kisame gapes at him before whistling.

"You're a sensor?" Kisame asks him.

Keiichi nods. Itachi is thoughtful as he stares at him with impassive onyx eyes.

"What is your range?" He asks as they adjust their course.

"Onee-san clocked it at fifty-five to fifty kilometers with those I'm familiar with, forty for those I am not."

"Why the variation?"

"She suppressed her signature to see if that made a difference." Keiichi explains bluntly.

Itachi nods as he integrates possibilities for the situation.

"Can you discern details if you are closer?"

"Yes- that reminds me." Keiichi grumbles, pulling out three seals and an inkbrush.

"These will let us communicate- the seal activates to the sound of your voice and transmits it to the other seals which in turn projects it directly to our ears so don't bellow please. Ruptured eardrums are a pain to deal with. I can apply them pretty much anywhere, but arms or shoulders are popular choices." He explains.

Kisame and Itachi are pleasantly surprised by his offer while considering the implications for what accounts as specialized personal coms.

"Are there any limiting factors on their ability to function?" Itachi questions as Keiichi expertly applies the seal tag onto Kisame's left arm.

"If it tears then it won't work. If you are drained of chakra it will also not work. Distance isn't a factor- I tested that years ago and the seal worked across an ocean." Keiichi remarks, drawing on his before looking at Itachi for permission.

Itachi accepts the seal, slightly curious about how exactly Keiichi had tested the seal across an entire ocean. Keiichi sends a pulse of chakra to activate the seals and they set off again. Keiichi reports nearly one hundred chakra signatures, seventy-three weakened and the rest wandering around when they are ten kilometers from the base. He notes all of the mobile chakra signatures have some refinement to their chakra networks, implying their status as shinobi.

Four signatures in particular catch his attention- an Uzumaki, another Uchiha, someone with extraordinarily refined chakra and then one that feels completely **wrong.** Keiichi jerks back and hisses as he forces himself to memorize the skin-crawling chakra and magoi he is sensing. Kisame and Itachi watch as Keiichi grimly adjusts.

"That bad?" Kisame asks him.

Keiichi nods sharply, eyes distant as he tries to understand the confusing chakra and magoi signals.

"… You mentioned him possessing knowledge of kinjutsus?" Keiichi grits out.

Itachi frowns minutely and Kisame shares his partner's worry more openly.

"Yes, why?" Itachi asks.

"… Well, that probably explains why it feels like he has two different chakra networks superimposed over one another and one is rotting. He's in the base currently if you want to box him in. There's also another Uchiha in there." Keiichi reports.

Itachi and Kisame share glances before Itachi decides on a plan of action. Keiichi would set up a barrier to contain and tag Orochimaru with a tracking seal if he escapes the base. Itachi and Kisame would knock on the front door, so to speak, and hopefully kill him. Keiichi would stay outside and move closer as needed to stay within half a kilometer of Kisame or Itachi. The work goes easily, despite Keiichi's distance handicap and he is two-thirds done when he frowns suddenly.

"Orochimaru is moving, two others accompanying him. One is the other Uchiha and a male with very refined chakra control." He reports.

["Direction?"] Itachi asks calmly.

Keiichi focuses more intently.

"West of my current position and towards the only section still un-trapped. Typical." He grouses.

["Huh, Itachi-san, it looks like we're gonna get more of a fight than expected."] Kisame remarks.

["Hn."] Itachi hums.

"I'll meet up with Kisame then we can herd them towards you, Itachi. I can see if I can separate Orochimaru's companions first if you two don't wander off too far." Keiichi offers.

["Herd?"] Kisame snorts.

"What? It's a perfectly good word!" Keiichi snaps, annoyed.

["Enough. Kisame, rendezvous with Keiichi. Suppress your chakra signatures."]

["Hai, Itachi-san."]

"Fine. Stay in contact." Keiichi requests before shunshinning towards Kisame's chakra signature.

It doesn't take long before he reaches the Kiri-nin and they start running towards Itachi- and their target. Keiichi easily pulls all his chakra deep inside himself, letting small amounts flicker like an animal's would. Kisame follows suit, going into stealth as they move closer and closer to Orochimaru's group.

"One kilometer away from target." Keiichi murmurs softly.

["Good. Keiichi, stay with Kisame and see if you can get the Uchiha away from the group. His presence would be detrimental during the fight."]

"Right. Try not to wander too far off, aa?" Keiichi retorts.

Kisame smirks and takes the lead, timing his approach with Itachi's while Keiichi focuses in on the other Uchiha's signature.

_Young, katon and ration chakra natures, moody, hot-tempered, calculating but there's a thread of something odd under that… _

…

_WHAT THE FUCK?! Why does he have Orochimaru's chakra in his system?! Did he get experimented on like a lab rat?!_ He seethes, fingers itching for an inkbrush to deal with the atrocity.

Thankfully he didn't miss Itachi's signal to engage- and Keiichi isn't fucking around anymore. He unseals a scroll and allows all the trap seals within that he had tailored for all non-Akatsuki members to spread out through the forest. Kisame gives him a wary glance and Keiichi waves off his concern, violet eyes hardening as he senses the trio react to the first set of traps (flashbangs).

"Trap seals deployed- don't worry about activating them, they'll only go off for our targets." Keiichi reports in a cold voice, resealing the scroll.

"Scary…" Kisame mutters, side-eying him.

["Very well. Engage."] Itachi orders.

Keiichi layers a deceptive genjutsu over himself, urging the target to 'not look' as he approaches the trio. He notes the man with long black hair and yellow eyes scanning the area warily, a silver-haired man with glasses taking his cue from the Sannin. The Uchiha, whose resemblance to Izuna-oji is rather uncanny, scowls as he draws his sword. Kisame and Itachi reveal themselves at the same time, making Orochimaru shift warily.

"Well, this is certainly a surprise… Itachi-kun." Orochimaru hisses.

Chibi-Izuna snaps his head around and his face twists into a hateful snarl.

"Itachi!" He growls, his fingers tightening on his sword hilt.

"Be quiet, Sasuke." Itachi reprimands him coolly, not looking away from Orochimaru.

"Like hell, you murderer!" Sasuke snarls, lightning screaming down his blade.

The youngest Uchiha steps forward; and that's all Keiichi needs. A seal blazes to life underneath Sasuke's feet and he vanishes, causing Orochimaru and the silvernette to freeze warily. Keiichi ignores the group, retreating to where his teleportation seal's twin is. Sasuke is snarling, trapped in a fuinjutsu barrier that absorbs the chakra from his attacks to strengthen itself. Keiichi is proud of himself for that one, but he slaps an additional seal on to isolate the area within the barrier from the real world. Essentially the magician made a pocket dimension to contain the hissy 'Sasuke' from the battle.

"What the hell is this?!" Sasuke hisses, staring at the golden barrier.

Keiichi sits on a tree branch, content to wait for the fight to finish, casually drawing another set of seals. It takes Sasuke far too long to notice Keiichi, given he's sitting in easy view and isn't exactly trying that hard with his genjutsu. Sharingan eyes stare at him and Sasuke sneers furiously at him.

"Who the fuck are you?!" Sasuke demands rudely.

Keiichi ignores him, carefully completing the seal he is writing before deigning to even turn his head (not that you can tell because of the hat) in Sasuke's direction. Sasuke stiffens at the blatant irreverence and his eyes spin faster and faster in agitation. Keiichi rolls his eyes at Sasuke's manners.

"Well, you're a rude one." Keiichi drawls, letting his voice deepen.

"You didn't answer my question!" Sasuke yells.

"Why would I answer a rude brat such as yourself?" Keiichi points out.

"Bastard! Let me out!" Sasuke growls.

"Why? So you can be a nuisance?" Keiichi remarks, putting away the sealing tags.

"I need to fight Itachi!" Sasuke snaps, his sword sparking with his emotions.

Keiichi snorts.

"Hmm, let me think about that- indulge a self-destructive brat intent on killing one of my partners or keep said brat inside the barrier where he's out of the way? It's a no brainer." He shrugs.

Sasuke is reduced to wordless hissing and growls. Keiichi is not impressed by his newly met clan brother.

"Yeesh, at least use words. You're not doing yourself any favors." Keiichi idly remarks.

["The brat not impressing you?"] Kisame asks him.

Keiichi contains a snort and lowers his voice.

"He's hissing and growling at me like a soggy kitten that wants to bite my face off. Not very threatening." Keiichi dismisses Sasuke casually.

His amusement grows when Sasuke's temper reaches new heights of anger and frustration (ah, he must have heard him- oh well), very easy to read for the sensor. But at the same time, black flame tattoos start to spread from his neck across his body. Keiichi narrows his eyes and barely suppresses a hiss as the feeling of Orochimaru's chakra overtaking the younger Uchiha's body.

"… Ne, Itachi. You got any objections if I seal off the snake's chakra inside Grumpy-kun? Cause it feels parasitic and disgusting."

["… Can you do so without killing or maiming him?"] Itachi asks.

Keiichi rolls his eyes at that.

"Yes." He answers bluntly.

["Then do so."] Itachi orders.

"Hai." Keiichi acknowledges, moving to stand on his tree branch.

Sasuke glares at him, his skin starting to turn grey and transform into something monstrous. Keiichi doesn't flinch; he had seen far worse over the years. Sasuke sneers, wings bursting out of his back before rushing the barrier again. It holds, blasting Sasuke back with enough force to leave a deep crater in the ground. That's when Keiichi makes his move.

Keiichi enhances his shunshin with futon to silence his approach and make himself more aerodynamic, blitzing through the air easily. Sasuke grunts in surprise as Keiichi hits him with a sharp blow to his left shoulder, hand glowing green with medical chakra. He wheezes but swipes with his sword to force Keiichi to retreat. Keiichi dodges easily and draws his own blade with a blur of steel, forcing Sasuke to shunshin out of reach.

Sasuke winces as his shoulder continues to feel weaker with every passing moment, numbness spreading, and he glares hatefully at the Akatsuki member currently in his way.

"What the hell did you do to me?!" Sasuke grits out, failing to tighten his grip on his sword.

Keiichi tilts his head and speaks very condescendingly to him.

"… Do you honestly expect me to tell you?"

Sasuke grimaces and attacks, forming a chidori. Keiichi smoothly sidesteps, dodging Sasuke's wings when they try to hit him and drives his piandao into the joint between his back and his left wing. Sasuke howls as Keiichi severs the joint, leaving Sasuke with a useless wing dragging on the ground. Keiichi shakes his head in disappointment.

"What's the point in transforming if you are only creating more weaknesses for the enemy to exploit?" Keiichi sighs.

Sasuke turns and breathes a fireball in his direction. Keiichi calmly holds his sword before him in a sideways grip, the flat of the blade facing Sasuke.

"Fire seal, open." He commands.

Seals beaten into the metal glow and the fiery chakra is pulled into it without a trace. Sasuke gapes at him and Keiichi takes full advantage of his surprise, flash stepping inside Sasuke's guard. His right hand glows gold with magoi and his swiftly targets Sasuke's major tenketsu, shutting down Sasuke's chakra network. The younger Uchiha gasps in pain as he is forcefully changed back into human form, blood pouring from the injury in his shoulder.

Keiichi activates a seal Natsuko-onee taught him, for 'troublesome dumb fucks who don't know how to stay down'. Chakra chains the color of ink slither over Sasuke's body, locking him into place. Sasuke glares at him with a combination of fear and anger as Keiichi pulls out a paintbrush from a seal while forcing his injury to clot with his other hand.

"Who-! Are you?!" He gasps out.

"No one you need to know about." Keiichi answers, frowning at the two seals (one broken outright, the other incomplete) someone had applied to contain the Curse Mark.

["Keiichi, Orochimaru is headed your way!"] Kisame warns him.

Keiichi clucks his tongue, extremely annoyed now.

"What a fucking pain in the ass!" He growls as he quickly expands and strengthens the suppression seal already in place, using a special ink he concocted from his own blood.

"Buy me three minutes- it looks like someone already started the hard part of separating the parasitic chakra from his regular chakra. Not a bad job, either." He notes.

["Very well. Hurry."] Itachi orders.

Keiichi frowns as he kneels next to Sasuke and wonders why the seal looks so damn familiar- then it hits him. He swears silently and creates a shadow clone to do the sealing while he shifts to be right in Sasuke's eyesight. He starts to hand sign.

"_Did you meet Xia or Samar?"_

Sasuke gawks at him and Keiichi shoves his hat up so Sasuke can see his Sharingan.

"_Did you meet my sisters?"_ Keiichi signs harshly, his Sharingan spinning to compel Sasuke to answer.

Sasuke flinches and nods weakly, stunned by the latest bombshell and the effects of the genjutsu.

"You're Keiichi?" Sasuke asks numbly.

Keiichi nods.

"_Where are they? Are they safe?" _He signs.

"Konoha. They went to Konoha-" Sasuke mumbles then his face twists into a betrayed expression as he breaks the genjutsu.

"But why are you with _him?! _That man killed our clan!" He shouts.

Keiichi lowers his hat, nodding to his clone who completed the seal and only needed magoi to activate it before answering. He shelves the 'Itachi is a murderer' issue for the time being- not to mention his information is from a biased source.

"_No choice."_ He signs bluntly before moving into position and presses his fingers against Sasuke's Curse Mark.

His free hand moves into the seal of concentration and his hands glows honey gold. Sasuke tenses with pain as the foreign magoi fills the seal to the brim, creating a barrier between Orochimaru's chakra and his own. An explosion nearby distracts Sasuke and his eyes widen when he sees Kabuto get mauled by the sentient Samehada. Keiichi doesn't lose focus and when he judges it ready says one word softly so only Sasuke and his partners could hear him.

"Fuin." He commands.

The seal locks into place and Sasuke blacks out from the agony, slumping against the ground. Keiichi sighs in relief and stands, spotting Orochimaru enter the clearing with obvious disbelief at the intricate seals in the area. Kisame whistles in appreciation, poking the barrier with Samehada.

"Shit kid, you could have mentioned being a sealing master." He complains good naturedly.

Keiichi shrugs, sensing Itachi mere seconds from slicing Orochimaru's head off. The Sannin crawls out of his corpse's mouth and Keiichi narrows his eyes, gesturing to his clone. It nods and moves into the fray, activating the trap seals to impede Orochimaru's escape before Kabuto kills it with a thrown kunai. Kisame laughs as Kabuto fights to reach his master's side, easily fending off the medic-nin. The Sannin's eyes flicker to Sasuke's prone form then to Keiichi, a frown tugging at his mouth as he dodges another deathblow and winces when a trap seal tries to bind him fast.

Kabuto feints and gets past Kisame, paying the toll of passage with a shattered right arm, and regroups with Orochimaru. Itachi calmly walks to stand next to Kisame, leaving both pairs of partners on opposite sides of the clearing with Keiichi in the middle. Orochimaru tilts his head at Itachi, not quite meeting his eyes.

"How unusual to have a trio within the Akatsuki; your third associate must be remarkable to be paired with you, Itachi-kun." He hisses.

Itachi remains silent, unnerving the other missing-nin. Kisame grins, flashing pointed teeth at Orochimaru and Kabuto.

"What can we say? The brat is something special." Kisame answers in a roundabout manner.

Orochimaru twitches, clearly remembering the trap, explosive and distraction seals throughout the forest.

"Indeed. Not many can claim such a mastery over fuinjutsu- did you find an Uzumaki to add to your ranks?" Orochimaru presses.

Keiichi rolls his eyes and hand signs to Itachi and Kisame.

"_Someone cut his tongue out of his head or I will- he likes the sound of his own voice too much."_

"Oh? Do I offend you somehow, fuinjutsu-kun?" Orochimaru purrs, yellow eyes locked on him.

Keiichi tilts his head, resting his chin on his fist under his hat to suggesting 'thinking' before nodding once.

"_A sick fucker who injects others with parasitic chakra deserves to be slowly eaten alive by crows and maggots."_ He signs.

Kisame cracks up while Itachi remains stoic; Orochimaru sneers at Keiichi and Kabuto's face is twisted into a hateful snarl. Keiichi glances at Itachi and nudges the unconscious Sasuke with his foot.

"_Done here. Kill snake and leave?"_ His fingers flash again.

Itachi nods and Keiichi opens a blank sealing scroll, lays it on the ground and focuses; the sealing barrier array breaks suddenly and flows inside the scroll. Kisame whistles as Keiichi casually rolls up the sealing scroll, pausing to tap Sasuke's forehead with medical green chakra before undoing the chakra chains binding the younger Uchiha. Keiichi moves towards Kisame and Itachi, his sword in a ready position as he moves closer to the group of missing-nin.

Orochimaru glances at Kabuto, communicating wordlessly with his accomplice. Kabuto nods- and rushes for Sasuke while Orochimaru summons a massive snake. Keiichi quirks his eyebrows, mildly impressed. Itachi calls for his crows, which dive for the serpent's face while Kisame races up towards Orochimaru. Keiichi glances at Kabuto, who is running away with Sasuke over his shoulder and shrugs.

"Want me to kill the snake?" He asks Itachi.

Itachi glances at him, slightly curious.

"Can you?"

Keiichi smirks, lifting his sword.

"Definitely." He assures his cousin.

Then he starts to murmur a certain series of spells, channeling his magoi through the blade. Water abruptly forms, swirling violently as Keiichi adds the next elements to the mass. Lightning starts to crackle and races endlessly throughout the liquid while wind howls and increases the violent motion of the water. Keiichi nods and it all suddenly condenses into a long black thread, which he flicks his sword forward towards the snake summon.

"Kisame, get out of there in the next ten seconds or you will fry to death." Keiichi warns the Kiri-nin.

Itachi shoots Keiichi a sharp glance but Keiichi ignores him as he has his spell wrap around the snake's throat, head and the Sannin. Orochimaru is intrigued until Keiichi gives the final command for the spell to ignite. Kisame, who jumped clear, gapes as the black thread expands with huge currents of lightning burning straight through the scales, flesh and bone. The water and wind cuts apart what does resist the lightning and Orochimaru is badly burned, having sacrificed a leg and an arm to escape the death trap. With a spray of blood, gore and ashes the snake collapses without its' head and poofs out of existence.

Orochimaru stares at Keiichi, who calmly gathers the ambient heat in the air to combine with more water and makes the extremely intelligent decision to run. Keiichi narrows his eyes in annoyance.

"Ass." He grumbles in annoyance.

"Is he still in your sensing range?" Itachi asks.

Keiichi nods, focusing.

"He's running back to his base- I wonder if he has an emergency escape seal..?" He muses.

Kisame sweat drops at his nonchalance at the possibility.

"Oi, isn't that a bad thing?" He points out.

Keiichi lifts his hat to grin deviously at him.

"I already tagged him, his pet medic and Grumpy-kun with tracking seals attuned to their chakra networks- I hid them in the flashbangs right at the start. So now, even if he runs…"

"We can find him again." Kisame realizes.

Keiichi nods in satisfaction. Itachi briefly glances at Kisame and they both think simultaneously;

_Keiichi's scarily competent when he's motivated…_

They run closer to Orochimaru's base until Keiichi makes a noise between growl and a huff.

"Dammit, he **did** have an emergency teleportation seal! So annoying…" Keiichi grumbles.

"You are certain?" Itachi asks.

Keiichi nods sharply.

"He's somewhere that way," He explains, pointing in the direction of Kiri.

"Along with the glasses-wearing medic and Grumpy-kun." _And the Uzumaki is missing from the base too, but they don't need to know that._ Keiichi mentally adds.

Itachi's face creases into a tiny frown at the news before sighing softly.

"Let us see what we can find amongst his effects." He decides.

Kisame and Keiichi shrug in agreement, following him deeper into the base. There isn't much resistance since Itachi cloaks them in a genjutsu and they find Orochimaru's labs and office. Keiichi heads for the office, casually deactivating the various trap seals and alarms in the room before pulling out files to read. Fairly quickly he regrets his curiosity as he reads accounts of forced experimentation and breeding.

_Oh by Solomon, Mom would flay this bastard alive, heal him, then torture him until he dies from trauma and stress __**after**__ she had shattered his mental capacities._ He thinks, pulling out another file.

Keiichi flips it open- and sees Xia's face snarling at him from the picture attached to the file. He stiffens, praying, **hoping** this doesn't mean what he thinks this means. Then he starts to read.

_Back in Konoha…_

"Sakura-chan! Kakashi-sensei! Yamato-taicho!" Naruto yells, bounding ahead while Xia and Samar move at a slower pace behind him.

The trio pauses to look at Naruto with varying expressions of fondness. Off to the side, Sai watches with a fake smile. Samar notices Sai and waves in greeting while Xia laughs at Naruto's antics before winking at Sai.

"Hello again, everyone." Samar greets them, subtly beckoning at Sai to join them.

He blinks but does join the group. Xia yawns and leans on Samar, resting her chin on her shoulder as she smirks at them.

"Hi." She flashes a grin at Sakura, who flushes and determinedly doesn't look at Xia.

Samar, Yamato, Kakashi and Sai wonder what's going on with Sakura but table it for the time being. Naruto is his adorably dense self and doesn't notice.

"Yo!" Kakashi eye smiles with his precious Icha Icha open.

Xia stands up straight and quirks her eyebrow in response, then glances at her sister.

{"What's with him? And who is he?"} She asks her.

Samar jabs her elbow with a senbon with a disapproving glare.

"Speak in Fire, Xia. And ask him yourself." She scolds Xia, who pouts at her as she rubs her arm.

"Augh, fine! First off, what's with the book and who're you?" Xia questions Kakashi, hand on her hip.

"Kakashi Hatake, leader of Team Kakashi and jonin." He answers, completely ignoring her first question.

Xia narrows her eyes then grins deviously before disappearing. Nearly the same moment Kakashi's Icha Icha vanishes out of his hands, causing the jonin to uncharacteristically panic. Naruto, Yamato and Sakura are stunned by the speed of the theft while Samar sighs and Sai watches in bemused politeness. A loud groan after two minutes catches their attention and they spot Xia on a rooftop, reading Icha Icha before sending Kakashi an unimpressed stare.

"You know, this isn't even **good** porn." She informs him bluntly.

Naruto, Sakura, Yamato and Kakashi's brains short-circuit. Samar face palms and Sai watches the strange reactions his team is showing with growing interest. Kakashi recovers first, a dangerous gleam in his visible eye.

"**Maa, **you don't say?" He chuckles, Killing Intent flooding off of him in defense of his favorite series.

Xia snorts and flips through the book idly as she ignores his animosity.

"Plot needs work, sex positions aren't possible for the average shinobi or kunoichi, characters lack depth and the pickup lines fucking _suck._ The only upside I can give the author is decent steaminess and suspense throughout the book. Need I go on?" She drawls.

"Xia-nee, that's enough! Give Kakashi-san his book back!" Samar demands, glaring at her older triplet.

Xia snorts but shunshins down to plunk the offending literature on top of Kakashi's fluffy hair.

"But seriously, you could do better." She says earnestly to him.

"Wah, Xia-chan! You read porn?!" Naruto yelps, his brain finally catching up to the conversation as his eyes bug out.

Xia raises her eyebrow at him, completely unconcerned or shameful.

"Yeah, so?" She answers bluntly.

Samar's face flushes bright red and she buries her face into her hands with a groan. Sakura babbles incoherently while Yamato stares at Xia, speechless. Kakashi is bug-eyed at this startling revelation. Sai tilts his head.

"Ah, so you are a pervert." He deduces.

Xia shrugs.

"I mean, if you define 'pervert' as someone who likes erotic literature then sure. I define it as someone who peeps on the unsuspecting, tries or does nonconsensual touching and someone who can't keep their clothing on in public." She replies.

Sai nods seriously, contemplating her answer carefully. Kakashi recovers first, eyeing Xia cautiously.

"Maa, not that I am not enjoying the conversation- but why did Samar-chan ask us to be here?" Kakashi questions Xia, seeing Samar is not ready for coherent conversation yet.

"Ah! Right!" Xia brightens up with a laugh.

"Samar and I would like to cook dinner for Team Kakashi tonight in thanks for your efforts on this last mission!" She announces.

Samar nods, cheeks still pink.

"A-Aa. We also thought it would be good bonding time and we could work out training schedules after dinner." She adds.

Naruto agrees instantly, bouncing excitedly as he impatiently waits for the rest of Team Kakashi to decide. Sakura nods hesitantly and they all collectively stare at Sai, Yamato and Kakashi expectantly. Yamato fidgets before consenting and nudges Kakashi into accepting. Samar smiles at Sai.

"Come on Sai." She invites Sai, but Xia and the jonin recognize it for what it is- a command.

Xia hides a smirk while Kakashi and Yamato eye her sister cautiously. Sai finally nods and follows Xia and Samar back to their apartment. Xia walks up the side of the apartment building to the roof and the shinobi can hear something being released from a seal up there. Samar gives them a reassuring smile at their confused or worried looks.

"Xia-nee is setting up so we can eat outside- we don't have enough room for everyone indoors, unfortunately." She sighs as she unlocks the door.

Team Kakashi follows her inside, investigating the space as Samar enters the kitchen and starts the rice.

"So colorful…" Sakura remarks, surprised by the bright patterns on the walls.

Samar glances at her and grins slightly.

"Aa. White walls were too strange, so I got creative." She replies, pulling out vegetables to Naruto's dismay.

"Veggies! No way, nuh uh, don't wanna!" He yells, running for the door.

Xia pulls the door open and Naruto crashes into her, nearly knocking them both over. She barely braces herself in time and glowers at the blond, whose face ended up in her chest.

"… Blondie. Get your face off my boobs or I will castrate you." She warns him flatly.

He yelps, scrambling back as Xia stalks inside and absently slaps a sealing tag on him as she enters the kitchen.

"And as punishment you'll eat **all** the vegetables we put on your plate and **like it.** Got it?" Xia chirps as Naruto's hands bounce off the doorknob no matter how many times he tries to grab it.

Sakura nods in agreement to the punishment, her fist itching to pummel Naruto. Yamato, Kakashi and Sai watch awkwardly as Samar and Xia peel potatoes and dice a massive pile of carrots, celery and red bell peppers. Samar retrieves a bowl of peas waiting to be shucked and pushes it into Yamato's hands.

"Wash your hands then shuck the peas into this bowl." She orders briskly.

Yamato, slightly worried, complies and starts popping the peas out of their pods. Xia sets her sights on Sakura as she retrieves some meat from a sealing scroll hidden in her arm seal.

"Damn lucky we have {lamb}, it tastes better than chicken. Sakura, come here!" Xia calls, pulling out a trimming knife.

Sakura walks over more confidently than Yamato did.

"Yes?" She asks.

Xia grins at her, slapping a lamb leg on the chopping board.

"Debone and trim this sucker but don't throw the bones away- we'll make a soup stock out of it. Sai, you're cutting up the meat into cubes about the size of your thumb nail." She explains to the Root agent.

Sai cocks his head.

"I thought Samar and you were cooking, witch." He remarks.

Xia snorts, spinning a knife as she chops a potato expertly.

"We are- but you're helping. Besides, this way you're not causing trouble while we're busy." She explains cheerfully.

Kakashi sweat drops at the confirmation and starts to inch away.

_Free food is one thing, but having to help cook it is __**way**__ out of my comfort zone- too much work._ He reflects.

Samar clamps a hand on his upper arm and smiles brightly at him, sending chills down his spine.

_When did she-?!_

"Kakashi-san, you'll be helping me with the garlic and onions." She says firmly.

Kakashi does not whine at being caught and dragged back to the kitchen. He _does not._ But he does wince when he sees that he will be mincing a small **mountain** of garlic and onions. Samar gives him a bright smile full of expectations, chief among them _'you won't disappoint me, now will you?'_ followed closely by _'hurry up Kakashi-san'._ Kakashi slumps in defeat and wonders as the overpowering smells make his eyes tear up if Samar had planned this as punishment for his escape attempt.

Naruto, after he whines at Samar and Xia, is tasked with measuring out the spices into a bowl under Samar's supervision. It takes a while, but Sakura finally realizes what the Kouga sisters are making.

"Curry rice!" She exclaims excitedly.

Xia smirks in approval while Samar giggles, nodding.

"Not just any curry rice, it's {lamb} curry rice!" Xia grins.

{"Rah-mu?"} Sakura tries to mimic the word, to Xia's amusement.

"Hn, say it faster with a short vowel sound and no 'rah'. It's 'L-ah'." Xia encourages her.

{"R-Lah-mu"} She tries again, carefully listening to the difference between r and l and correcting herself.

Samar shakes her head and corrects Sakura this time.

"No vowel at the end, just the 'mh' sound. So it goes 'lah-mh' when you break it down and you blur it together to say {lamb}."

Sakura frowns and gives it her best shot.

{"Lamb!"} She says.

Xia whoops and Samar smiles.

"Nice! Now you know the name of the poor critter you're butchering for dinner!" Xia laughs.

"Is it the name of a pet or of a species of animal?" Yamato asks, holding the bowl of shucked peas.

"Species. It's an animal that supplies fur, meat, milk-" Samar starts to explain only for Xia to interrupt.

"And by the seven seas they're one of the stupidest creatures ever to walk the earth." She finishes cheekily.

"What do ya mean, dattebayo?" Naruto frowns, tilting his head.

Xia snorts, shaking her head.

"Damn things all but kill themselves by walking off of cliffs, drowning in ponds or getting stuck in holes or bramble patches." She rants, scooping up the chopped veggies and dumping them in a pan of fragrant hot oil.

Samar sighs at Xia.

"They're not that bad-"

"You didn't have to carry one back up from the bottom of a ravine! They're heavy suckers and they _smell!"_ Xia retorts.

Samar glares at Xia, silently chiding her. Xia rolls her eyes as Kakashi gratefully dumps in the onions and garlic. Sai tilts his head, holding the bowl of chopped meat to Xia to be added to the curry.

"The way you interact with each other is odd." He states.

Xia cocks her head, amused.

"Oh? How so?" She pushes him.

"You frequently look at each other without saying or signing anything but there seems to be communication taking place nonetheless." Sai recites his observations.

Samar suppresses a laugh- Xi has no such scruples, sniggering loudly.

"Aa, Sai. We do communicate- but it's not in a conventional way." Samar explains to the socially dense shinobi.

Sai nods, satisfied with that answer. Kakashi and Yamato retreat to the couch as Xia continues to cook the veggies and meat while Samar has Naruto help her with the curry sauce. It takes a bit, but they finish their separate tasks and combined it all together into a rich curry. Samar has Sakura grab the bowls from the cupboard while she seizes the tea mugs, teapot and a small scroll. Sai is given the chopsticks and Yamato carries the pot of rice up to the roof. Xia and Naruto carry the curry (after Xia had removed the sealing tag) while Kakashi trails behind everyone before blinking at the set up Xia created.

She had lain out thick, colorful blankets with seating pillows for everyone to sit on, allowing them to enjoy the fresh air as they eat. Rice, then curry is spooned into everyone's bowls and chopsticks passed around. Samar starts brewing a pot of tea with a rich scent on the scroll. They all settle on a pillow and sit back, chowing down while Samar pours out a tea that minty but sweet. Naruto scrunches his nose when Samar passes him his cup.

"What's this, dattebayo?" Naruto asks, glaring at the liquid.

"Mint tea with a crap ton of honey. It's good for you." Xia answers, sipping hers happily.

Sakura smiles at the taste, noticing subtle differences between the mint she is familiar with and the one Samar had brewed with. Kakashi drinks his through his mask while Yamato sips it more cautiously and Sai methodically drinks his. When everyone's bowls are empty, Xia pulls out a scroll and seals her dirty bowl and chopsticks inside.

"Put 'em in then we'll talk training~!" Xia says cheerily.

Naruto adds his loud agreement and the rest of Team Kakashi efficiently cleans up before Samar starts the discussion.

"Sakura, Naruto-kun, Sai, have any of you worked on elemental transformations before?" She asks.

Sakura winces.

"A little bit, but not a lot." She admits.

Sai nods.

"Earth, water and fire release, crone." He lists off.

Naruto's face scrunches up into a frown.

"Uh, what's that?" He asks her.

Kakashi and Yamato sweat drop while Xia snorts in amusement.

"Typical Uzumaki." She says fondly.

Samar smiles understandingly at Naruto and then looks at Sai and Sakura.

"Alright, for group training **everyone** is going to be working on genjutsu, particularly recognizing and breaking one. Sakura, you will be working with me on creating an original technique along with basic genjutsus capable of altering the environment. We'll cover others later, including ones for inducing fear, paranoia and relaxing your enemy's guard. Sai, you can join us if you wish."

"After that is seals." Xia picks up the thread of conversation, surprising the group.

"Seals? You mean fuinjutsu?" Yamato clarifies.

Samar and Xia nod.

"Aa. Sakura, Naruto, you'll be starting with the basics- Sai we'll need to assess to figure out what level you are at given your ink jutsus. Kakashi and Yamato, if you wish to learn please join in or use it as a chance to brush up." Samar offers.

Kakashi hums, eye smiling.

"Maa, maybe." He answers.

Xia snorts before continuing.

"Elemental jutsus, chakra transformations and chakra control after sealing practice- we'll split up as needed for tutoring. Taijutsu and bakijutsu after that- mostly sparring but we'll do some drills on how **not** to get fucked by a Sharingan with Kakashi's help." She says dryly, leaning back on her elbows.

Naruto, Sakura and Yamato stiffen while Sai and Kakashi watch Xia with sharp eyes. Samar makes a long suffering expression at Xia, who ignores it.

"But why should-!" Naruto starts to protest but Xia glares him down.

"Duckbutt is a problem and he laid you out as soon as you met his gaze. And from what I've heard, he's not even your biggest concern- that goes to the organization his nii-san belongs to, right?" She ruthlessly points out.

Naruto glares at her heatedly but Kakashi speaks up unexpectedly.

"I think that's a good idea." He tells the group.

"Itachi is very dangerous, especially with his Mangekyo. None of you know how to fight a Sharingan user _without_ being caught in a genjutsu." The unspoken 'except Xia and Samar' doesn't go unnoticed.

Sai nods, pragmatic as always with Yamato agreeing after a moment. Sakura bites her lower lip before her eyes harden with resolve and she firmly nods in assent.

"We need to get stronger." Sakura states, not quite demanding, looking at the three Sharingan users.

Xia's grin grows and Samar smiles slightly.

"Aa. We can help with that." They say together.

Kakashi eye smiles at Sakura.

"Maa, we'll work something out…" He assures Sakura.

Naruto pouts before sighing in defeat.

"When do we start, dattebayo?" He asks.

"Tomorrow, 6 am at Training Grounds 3. Make sure to eat- you'll need it~!" Xia sings.

_In Amegakure…_

Keiichi is grateful for the damn hat concealing his face- because he knows despite his best efforts his Sharingan is activating at random as his anger spikes. Gritting his teeth, Keiichi buries his rage and slips away to go straight to his workshop. Kisame and Itachi watch him go with varying levels of concern- the entire trip back, Keiichi had spoken the bare minimum. Even for an Uchiha, it was worrying- especially since Keiichi is normally far more talkative than Itachi.

"Let's report to Leader." Itachi says quietly.

Kisame nods and can't help a quick glance at Keiichi's rapidly vanishing figure.

_Hopefully nothing sets him off…_ Kisame thinks, remembering the jutsu-thing Keiichi had used on the snake summons.

Meanwhile Keiichi can see the door to his workshop and feels a spark of relief; he can be _alone_ and process what the fuck he had learned-!

"Ah~! Keiichi-kun!" A sickeningly cheerful voice calls and Keiichi represses a twitch.

Tobi bounds into view with the enthusiasm of a Golden Retriever and stands between him and his workshop. Keiichi feels his temper start to boil and barely suppresses a surge of Killing Intent. Tobi doesn't seem to notice Keiichi's distemper, bouncing happily in front of the magician.

"Tobi's happy to see Keiichi-kun! Is Keiichi-kun okay? Was Itachi or Kisame mean? Are you tired? Will Tobi get to eat food Keiichi-kun makes-?" Tobi chatters.

Keiichi stay silent and moves to walk past the chatterbox, intent on his goal but Tobi, **somehow**, anticipates him and leaps almost right in Keiichi's face. And for a second it's not Tobi Keiichi sees, but Isi jumping at him! His reaction is completely instinctive as he shoves his hand up between him and Tobi and a spell tumbles out of his mouth.

{"Asfal!"} He barks and the air in front of him solidifies, pushing Tobi back firmly.

Tobi tumbles backwards and barely avoids colliding with the wall, wailing loudly. Keiichi swears but knows Tobi (probably) is fine so he hurries inside his workshop and locks up. Tobi's wails attract the other members of the Akatsuki to the scene, namely Konan, Deidara, Hidan and Kakuzu.

"What the fuck did you do, dipshit?" Hidan snaps at Tobi.

"Tobi doesn't know! Tobi was talking to Keiichi-kun and he said a weird word and Tobi rolled and rolled all the way over here! Was Tobi bad boy?!" Tobi sobs pathetically.

Konan narrows her eyes at Tobi but Deidara beats her to the punch.

"You went and annoyed **Keiichi**?! What's wrong with you, un!" Deidara scolds Tobi.

"Tobi's sowry-!" Tobi wails, tears gushing.

"Hmph. What a waste of time." Kakuzu grunts, folding his arms.

Konan sighs and claps her hands. Like magic, the missing-nin stop yelling and grumbling and shut up. Konan gives them stern glares.

"I'll deal with Keiichi. Dismissed." She orders.

They obey, Hidan dragging Tobi away by the collar of his Akatsuki robe leaving Konan alone in the hallway. She knocks on the door and waits patiently: after Tobi (unintentionally) tested Keiichi's seals, Keiichi informed the Akatsuki they wouldn't be getting inside unless he **allows **them in. No one was stupid enough to push him and Pain had let him be; given that Keiichi cannot damage or kill the Akatsuki, Pain deemed it prudent for Keiichi to have a 'safe place' to retreat to.

"Keiichi, it is Konan." She calls softly.

There is silence for a moment and the lock disengages while the seals retract as Keiichi opens the door. Konan almost raises an eyebrow in surprise but stops herself; Keiichi is simmering with tangible anger that is barely restrained. His eyes flicker from purple to crimson and back before he makes a concentrated effort to master himself, irises reverting to violet.

"Konan-san." He greets her coolly.

"May I come in? It is about Tobi." She tells him directly.

One of the things she, Itachi and Pain had noticed is Keiichi prefers bluntness. Make no mistake, Keiichi can and does use subtly but when he is on the receiving end being straightforward will often get a better response. He nods and steps aside for her then closes and locks the door. Konan notices but settles on the stool he silently offers her before seating himself across from her.

"What exactly happened between you and Tobi?" She asks, gaze level.

"… I was coming back here when he showed up. He started asking questions, like always, but when I tried to walk past him he jumped towards my face. I cast a {spell} to force him away from me." Keiichi reports flatly.

Konan remains silent and Keiichi shoves his hair back in aggravation.

"It was instinctive and fuck it, he's not dead, maimed or injured and _yes I can tell_ so why are we having this conversation?" He snaps, anger bleeding into his tone.

"… We were worried." Konan admits and Keiichi stares blankly at her for a moment before understanding dawns.

He laughs harshly, shaking his head as he meets her eyes.

"… I'm good, Konan-san. I'm not a fuinjutsu master but I **am** good. But despite that, I can't alter the damn seal you branded me with, so don't worry. I'm not going anywhere- you made sure of that." Keiichi smiles coldly as his eyes glow crimson.

Konan nods and Keiichi's eyes darken back to violet.

"… Leave. Please. I need to be alone." He tells her quietly, weariness showing.

Konan nods and exits, hearing the lock and seals reengage behind her. She frowns, going over what he had told her.

_An instinctive reaction… _She muses thoughtfully.

**And that is a wrap~! Next chapter will be in the PAST! Please remember to review and comment! Until next time~!**


End file.
